In Get Football’s Matchweek 33 review for the Liga Portuguesa, the importance of Porto vs Familicão was highlighted in our list of the most crucial games this weekend… and the match lived up to expectations.
Porto won 4-2 away from home against Familicão in a game that saw Iranian International Mehdi Taremi slot home all four of Porto’s goals, three of those being crucial penalties in the 7th, 67th, and 75th minute. Despite being 2-0 up after ten minutes, Familicão refused to go into the half-time interval empty handed, with Spanish wonder kid Iván Jamie (22) slicing in a header just outside the six-yard-box in the 33rd minute, and Familicão midfielder Santiago Colombatto scoring a penalty mere seconds before the break.
In a matter of minutes, Sergio Conceição’s men found themselves walking into the dressing room with their title hopes dangling from a string; a draw for Porto would see Benfica crowned Champions. However, with 45 minutes left to play, the Dragões refused to stay demoralised and came out in the second-half fighting.
A Zaydou Youssouf handball in the 63rd minute awarded a penalty for Porto that Taremi simply couldn’t miss, and a penalty-area foul not even ten minutes later saw the Porto number nine do it again. After a handful of subs and 14 minutes of extra time, Porto found themselves a much needed win in their final away game of this league season.
Now, the pressure comes to Benfica, as they take on city rivals Sporting CP away from home in a must-win title deciding game on Sunday, May 21st. In what is bound to be the game of the season, a Benfica loss is all Porto would need to see themselves a mere one point behind the Encarnados on the final day… will Porto dethrone this Benfica super team in matchweek 34, or will Benfica pull through and finally win a title for the first time in four years?
An exciting week for Portuguese football awaits, and you can read about all of it on Get Football Portugal.
Andrew Abrantes | Get Football
