(GSM) - Portuguese champions FC Porto are a big step closer to the quarter finals of the Champions League following a 2-1 win over Arsenal in the round of sixteen.
Only 11 minutes were played at Porto's O Dragao stadium when the home side took the lead. Silvestre Varela seemingly tried to cross in from the right but the ball instead crossed the goal-line with help from Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
But the equaliser came just seven minutes later as veteran defender Sol Campbell headed home in the aftermath of a Fabregas corner kick.
Porto restored their lead in the 51st minute and it was in the strangest of circumstances. Fabianski picked up a back pass from Campbell with an indirect free kick as result. The set-piece was immediately taken by Ruben Micael, enabling Colombian Radamel Falcao to strike the ball past the unprepared goalkeeper.
Arsenal pressurized their opponents in the remainder of the half but Porto held on to their lead to give themselves a very good starting position for the second leg in London.
|
Silvestre Varela 11'
|
1 - 0 |
|
1 - 1 |
||
2 - 1 |
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helton | |
| 2 | Bruno Alves |
 34'
|
| 13 | J. Fucile |
64'
|
| 14 | Rolando | |
| 15 | Á. Pereira |
78'
|
| 3 |
Raul Meireles
|
|
| 25 | Fernando |
84'
|
| 28 |
Rúben Micael
|
|
| 17 | Silvestre Varela |
 11'
|
| 9 | R. Falcao |
51'
|
| 12 |
Hulk
|
|
| Coach: Jesualdo Ferreira | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Ł. Fabiański | |
| 31 | S. Campbell |
18'
|
| 3 | B. Sagna | |
| 5 | T. Vermaelen | |
| 22 | G. Clichy | |
| 7 |
T. Rosický
|
|
| 4 | Fàbregas | |
| 8 |
S. Nasri
|
|
| 2 | A. Diaby |
31'
|
| 15 | Denílson | |
| 52 |
N. Bendtner
|
|
| Coach: A. Wenger | ||
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 20 |
for Raul Meireles 68' |
|
| 11 |
for Hulk 81' |
|
| 7 |
for Rúben Micael 85' |
|
| 6 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 22 | ||
| 24 |
| # | Player | Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| 14 |
for T. Rosický 68' |
|
| 12 |
for N. Bendtner 83' |
|
| 27 |
for S. Nasri 88' |
|
| 16 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 24 | ||
| 30 |
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