Porto v Villarreal – First half review: Europa League (Part 1)
Porto hosted Villarreal in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final encounter at Estádio Do Dragão in Portugal, as Andres Villas-Boas’s team took to the field in attacking fashion.
Porto used a conventional 4-3-3 formation. The Portuguese giants used Givanildo Vieira de Souza, more commonly known as, “http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hulk-c16436”, as their main striker.
Hulk was supported in attack by the speedy http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Radamel-Falcao-c30276 and the tricky Fernando. Porto’s midfield was tasked with supplying Hulk and co. with sufficient ammunition, as Villas-Boas deployed Joao Moutinho, as his team’s main creative player.
Moutinho was assisted by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cristian-Sapunaru-c9595 played as
the home team’s two wing backs.
On the other hand, Villarreal utilized their 4-4-2 formation, which worked well for them in the quarterfinals of the Europa League. The Spanish outfit started with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Giuseppe-Rossi-c15027 and Nilmar Honorato, as their main target-men.
In midfield, Juan Carlos Garrido’s, team played with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cani-c8305 on the left wing.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Manuel-c23383
Catalá played as the yellow submariners’ wing backs.
The match started off at a fiery pace in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Portugal-c2984, as Porto controlled the ball early on in the first half. The home side pressed onwards, as Carlos Marchena was forced into making a crucial clearance on the 4th minute mark as Falcao was closing
in on the veteran defender.
In the 6th minute, Porto’s Fernando went into the referee’s book as he tackled Nilmar to the ground just outside his team’s penalty area.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Helton-c16018, was left untroubled as the Brazilian striker’s shot lacked sufficient power.
In the 7th minute, Villarreal almost netted the first goal of the encounter, as Borja Valero slipped in Nilmar through a wonder final pass. However, the Brazilian goal scorer was denied by Helton once again as the acrobatic goalkeeper dove down
to his right to palm the ball away.
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