Dragões valiant effort ends
By: j | April 15th, 2009Porto’s brilliant Champions League effort came to conclusion as they fell 1-0 to Manchester United at Estádio do Dragão. The lone goal, a knife through the heart for Dragões supporters, came six minutes in when former Porto man Anderson provided Cristiano Ronaldo the ball and with Aly Cissokho closing, the Portuguese captain let loose a unstoppable strike from thirty-five plus metres into the back of the net.
While the visitors flourished early possibly the most crushing blow came thirty-minutes in when Lucho González was stretchered off with knee injury. Fortune was on Porto’s side through the balance of the first half as the English side missed a number of close ranges changes, none more perplexing than Serbian international Nemanja Vidić. The former Crvena zvezda-man turned John O’Shea’s provision over the crossbar in chance he would rarely miss.
Hope flourished for the Azuis e brancos after the break with opportunities slowly opening up. In the later stages Bruno Alves and Rolando both came close via set-pieces and with only a goal needed Porto displayed the resolve that only a champion can understand needed to continue the great run. With five minutes remaining Mariano González finds Lisandro López in point-blank range but his effort falls short and is held-back by ‘keeper Edwin van der Sar.
Time ticked down and as the whistle was heard, the great run in the Champions League ended with a valiant effort that all can be proud of.
Category: Porto Team News
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