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Porto’s home struggles continued as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Santa Clara, with Galeno notably missing two penalties.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the Dragons failed to capitalize on their opportunities, leaving fans disheartened.
The match started with Porto in control, but Santa Clara stunned the hosts by taking the lead in the 33rd minute. Gustavo Klismahn delivered a well-placed corner, and Gabriel Silva’s deflected volley beat Diogo Costa to silence the home crowd.
Porto came close to equalizing just before halftime when João Mário’s precise cross found Deniz Gül. However, the striker’s miscue from close range saw the ball crash against the post, highlighting Porto’s profligacy in front of goal.
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Shortly after the break, Galeno tested Santa Clara’s Gabriel Batista with a low drive but couldn’t find the breakthrough. However, a lifeline appeared in the 72nd minute when Galeno earned a penalty after colliding with Batista while chasing Mário’s through ball. To the crowd’s dismay, Galeno’s powerful spot kick struck the post, keeping Porto behind.
Just four minutes later, Porto finally found their equaliser. Alan Varela’s free kick was met by Otávio, whose looping header sailed over Batista to restore parity. With momentum on their side, Porto pushed forward relentlessly in search of a winner.
Santa Clara’s Matheus Pereira saw red in the 80th minute after receiving a second yellow card. Despite the numerical advantage, Porto continued to waste chances, with Tiago Djaló hitting the post in added time.
Drama unfolded in the dying moments when Pepê won another penalty for Porto. Galeno stepped up once again, but Batista saved his attempt. The ball fell kindly to Galeno, but he shockingly missed an open goal, leaving the stadium in disbelief.
The final whistle blew with Porto lamenting their missed opportunities after dominating possession (78%) and recording 21 shots to Santa Clara’s two. New manager Martin Anselmi, watching from the VIP box, witnessed a team struggling to convert chances into victories.
The draw leaves Porto level on 41 points with Benfica but trailing league leaders Sporting CP by six points. For Sporting, watching their rivals falter has been a spectacle, while Porto’s fans and players are left to reflect on what could have been.
Tags: Porto, Santa Clara, Galeno, Matheus Pereira, Estádio do Dragão, Gabriel Silva, Diogo Costa, Otávio, Alan Varela, #nrtcnewsnigeria, #nrtcnigeria, #nrtcsports, #nrtcnews, #NewsRoundTheClock.
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