FC Porto B completed a handful of consecutive games without losing in the second league in Viseu, where they beat Académico 2-0 with Wendel Silva’s 14th and 15th accurate shots – to which were added eight assists – in the test. The Brazilian striker could even have taken the ball home, but he was unable to convert the penalty that would have given him the hat-trick in added time. With this result, António Folha’s men move up to seventh place in the league table with 40 points.
The Dragons started the match better and, mainly through quick transitions led by Rodrigo Mora, Jorge Meireles and Gonçalo Sousa, they got closer to João Monteiro’s goal, although without much danger.
The home team managed to turn the tide of the match in their favor and, with more ball and greater proximity to Diogo Fernandes’ area, forced the young Porto player to apply himself to stop a shot from André Clóvis. Until the end of the first half, only a shot from Rodrigo Mora was recorded that skimmed the right post of the Viseense goal (39m), meaning the goal remained null on the return to the locker room.
The second half began with more alert plays on both sides of the field. First, a long ball from Henrique Gomes isolated Arthur Chaves, who in the blue and white area shot very close to the post (52m). In response, Martim Fernandes crossed to the right and Gonçalo Sousa deflected it in a good position, but without the desired success (57m).
The goal appeared within the first quarter of the second half (59m). In a combination to the right, Gonçalo Sousa gave it to Rodrigo Mora, who first cleared Vasco Sousa. The midfielder, already inside the opponent’s area, was knocked down from behind by Marquinho and, at the penalty spot, Wendel Silva didn’t tremble, placed the ball on the opposite side of the goalkeeper’s and celebrated the 14th accurate shot in this edition of the championship.
The Brazilian striker was once again the protagonist in the 76th minute when, on the right, he received the ball from Abraham Marcus after a mistake by his direct marker, dominated with his chest and rifled the ball into João Monteiro’s goal to make it 2-0. The hat-trick could have arrived in added time (90m+1), but, after a penalty committed by Nduwarugira on Gabriel Brás, the number 50 shirt was unable to hit the opponent’s goal. Until the end, Diogo Fernandes shone, who kept his goal clean at Fontelo, and João Teixeira made his professional football debut on the last day at the age of 17.
“We knew it was going to be an extremely difficult game against an excellent team that has proven that it has excellent players. We made things easier in the second half. In the first half, the teams were very tight, without taking too many risks. We sought depth so as not to take risks and not suffer transitions. In the second half, we managed to have more discretion in our exit and ended up being happy. We scored two goals, we won a game that gives us three points, it’s a good victory on a difficult field, but it’s also worth highlighting another young man who makes his debut today. He’s another one who has shown in the Youth League that he wants to make the leap, my job is to see the quality they have and give them ways to be better than they are today. It’s normal for them to become more comfortable on the field as they play more games. The competitive spirit that the team has is worth highlighting. I want to congratulate the athletes, who interpreted well what the game was about and produced an excellent result”, explained António Folha at the end of the match.
The Dragons return to action next Sunday, at Olival, against Oliveirense (3:30 p.m., Porto Canal/FC Porto TV).
GAME SHEET
ACADEMICO DE VISEU-FC PORTO B, 0-2
Liga Portugal 2, 28th round
April 8, 2024
Fontelo Municipal Stadium, in Viseu
Referee: Halim Shirzad
Assistants: Jonathan Babo and Vanessa Gomes
Fourth referee: Fábio Loureiro
YES/AVAR: Catarina Campos and Sílvia Domingos
VISEU ACADEMIC: João Monteiro; Miguel Bandarra, Arthur Chaves, André Almeida (cap.), Henrique Gomes, Messeguem, Soriano Mané, Yuri Araújo, Marquinho, Martim Ferreira and André Clóvis
Substitutions: Messeguem by Quizera (52m), Martim Ferreira by Gautier (60m), Henrique Gomes by Nduwarugira (75m), Yuri Araújo by Samba Koné (75m) and Soriano Mané by Steven Petkov (75m)
Unused: Mouhamed Mbaye, Rodrigo Pereira, Francisco Machado and Milioransa
Trainer: Jorge Simão
FC PORTO B: Diogo Fernandes; Martim Fernandes, Romain Correia (cap.), Gabriel Brás, Rodrigo Pinheiro, Braima Sambú, Vasco Sousa, Gonçalo Sousa, Rodrigo Mora, Jorge Meireles and Wendel Silva
Substitutions: Jorge Meireles by Gui Guedes (71m), Gonçalo Sousa by Abraham Marcus (71m), Rodrigo Mora by André Oliveira (87m), Vasco Sousa by Anhá Candé (90m+3) and Wendel Silva by João Teixeira (90m+3)
Unused: Francisco Meixedo, António Ribeiro, Dinis Rodrigues and Rui Monteiro
Trainer: António Folha
Half-time: 0-0
Tags: Wendel Silva (59m e 76m)
Discipline: yellow card to Soriano Mané (31m) and Nduwarugira (90m+1)