Galatasaray 1 Porto 0 - Paying the penalty
We were supporting Galatasaray in this game. I was behind them due to my connections with some of their fans in Azerbaijan and Sean got into supporting them after seeing them try and turn Finsbury Park into Istanbul before the game kicked off. It promised to be a decent game from the start with the Turkish team fielding a strong team that included Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder as well as ex-Arsenal player Emanuel Aboue. Porto went for their traditional 4-3-3 with Jackson Martinez as the target man. It was hard to say if the team was a strong one in some aspects though as Porto are a selling club that always seem to reinvent themselves into a successful team.
Porto started the brighter of the two teams, but I was impressed with the Cim-bom defence, that was until Kelvin went down (perhaps a bit too easily) under a challenge from Chedjou. Fernandez stepped up to take the penalty, but it was hit tamely and it was easily saved by Muslera in the Galatasaray goal.
Sneijder and Drogba started to get into the game though for the Turkish team and Drogba had a couple of good chances one which he set up himself and one from a clever back-heel from Sneijder.
Amrambat was also upping the tempo by surging forward for Gala and despite Kelvin looking good on the counter attack the faster pace seemed to leave the Portuguese team a bit shell shocked. This pattern was continued into the second half. The best chances of the first 15 minutes of the half fell to Gala. Drogba coming close with a free kick, which Fabiano saved and Amrambat came close with the rebound. Then the penalty madness began in earnest.
On 70 minutes Eboue was fouled in the box. Melo managed to do what Fernandez had failed to do for Porto and put the ball in the back of the net. It was over yet, as 7 minutes later Chedjou was judged to have fouled Danilo. Lucho took this penalty, but it was well wide. The game finished with 2 penalties to 1 for Porto, but the Turks ran out winners, as only they were able to convert.
Porto started the brighter of the two teams, but I was impressed with the Cim-bom defence, that was until Kelvin went down (perhaps a bit too easily) under a challenge from Chedjou. Fernandez stepped up to take the penalty, but it was hit tamely and it was easily saved by Muslera in the Galatasaray goal.
Sneijder and Drogba started to get into the game though for the Turkish team and Drogba had a couple of good chances one which he set up himself and one from a clever back-heel from Sneijder.
Amrambat was also upping the tempo by surging forward for Gala and despite Kelvin looking good on the counter attack the faster pace seemed to leave the Portuguese team a bit shell shocked. This pattern was continued into the second half. The best chances of the first 15 minutes of the half fell to Gala. Drogba coming close with a free kick, which Fabiano saved and Amrambat came close with the rebound. Then the penalty madness began in earnest.
On 70 minutes Eboue was fouled in the box. Melo managed to do what Fernandez had failed to do for Porto and put the ball in the back of the net. It was over yet, as 7 minutes later Chedjou was judged to have fouled Danilo. Lucho took this penalty, but it was well wide. The game finished with 2 penalties to 1 for Porto, but the Turks ran out winners, as only they were able to convert.
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