Maicon makes sure Porto profit as Chelsea slump
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Article summary
Porto 2-1 Chelsea
André André and Maicon scored in each half as Julen Lopetegui's team made it an unhappy return to Porto for José Mourinho and his English champions.
Article top media content
Article body
- Victory lifts Porto onto four points in Group G, level with Dynamo Kyiv
- André André gives hosts lead but Willian levels in first-half added time
- Maicon header seven minutes after break wins it for Liga leaders
- Iker Casillas posts record 152nd UEFA Champions League appearance
- Next matches: Porto-M. Tel-Aviv, Dynamo-Chelsea (20 October)
Porto made it a miserable return to the Estádio do Dragão for José Mourinho as goals either side of half-time from André André and Maicon inflicted a 2-1 defeat on a labouring Chelsea in UEFA Champions League Group G.
Julen Lopetegui's team brushed off the concession of Willian's equaliser two minutes into first-half stoppage time to claim their first victory in the section. The margin might have been greater had Danilo's late header not rattled the woodwork.
Both clubs had drawn 2-2 at the weekend away to the second-bottom side in their domestic leagues, yet with Mourinho declaring there are no untouchables in his squad, his lineup showed four changes. One of the beneficiaries, Willian fired Chelsea level with the last kick of the first half, spearing a set piece past Iker Casillas.
If Willian's free-kick equaliser had rescued the English champions at Newcastle three days before, his intervention here was equally necessary. Fair to say Porto's 39th-minute opener had been coming. Maxi Pereira's earlier surge into the Blues' box culminated in a strike deflected behind, then the right-back blazed wide after good interplay between André André and Vincent Aboubakar.
The goal itself came from the left. Skipping past Branislav Ivanović, the lively Yacine Brahimi forced a super save from Asmir Begović, only for André to beat the keeper on the rebound.
Porto regained the initiative seven minutes after the restart. Maicon got in front of Ramires to flick an opportunistic back-header beyond Begović at his near post from Rúben Neves's corner. Chelsea's immediate response was a Diego Costa curler off the crossbar. Yet, with the likes of Aboubakar and Neves foraging forward, the hosts always menaced.
Come the 70-minute mark, Chelsea were on the ropes, Giannelli Imbula and then Brahimi eliciting fine stops from Begović. At this point Chelsea would have settled for a repeat of the 2-1 loss incurred on Mourinho's first return to Porto in 2004/05. Danilo almost increased their deficit, though Ivanović and Kenedy, at the death, might somehow have snatched a draw.
Key player: Maicon
Now in his seventh Dragão campaign, Maicon rated this his finest-ever display. Not solely a defensive rock, the 27-year-old Brazilian centre-back produced the headed winner to follow up his strike at Moreirense last Friday. In fact, he already has three goals this term, matching his seasonal best from 2011/12.
Casillas' enduring class
Iker Casillas will be grateful to his captain after Willian threatened to mar his record-setting 152nd UEFA Champions League outing, group stage to final. The 34-year-old – who before kick-off shared the record with Xavi Hernández – served a reminder of his quality with an agile first-half save from Pedro Rodríguez, having earlier denied Cesc Fàbregas. Not a three-time European champion for nothing.
Family ties
The fact Porto's other marksman André André only signed this summer from Guimarães should not obscure the 26-year-old's notable history with the club. André was formerly part of the Porto youth system and, even more impressively, his father António André played in the 1987 European Cup final victory over Bayern.