Porto v Villarreal – First half review: Europa League (Part 2)
Despite the fact that Porto started off the first half as the much better side, Villarreal slowly gained a foot hold in the match, as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Borja-Valero-c7889 and Santi Cazorla started to work their magic in the midfield area for the visiting team.
In the 10th minute, Joao Moutinho squeezed a free kick out of Santi Cazorla’s challenge. The Portuguese midfielder brought his body in between the ball and the tackler to gain a clever foul in the end.
Givanildo Vieira de Souza also known as “Hulk” stepped up to take the free kick for the home side but the Brazilian target-man was wayward with his eventual effort, as the referee called for a goal kick to Villarreal.
In the 26th minute, referee took a bold decision to book http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mateo-Musacchio-c24632.
Bjorn Kuipers brandished a yellow card for the Brazilian international footballer as he deemed Hulk’s fall as an attempt at simulation to influence the referee into a false decision.
In doing so the referee also established his own authority in the match as the first 20 minutes of the encounter had seen a lot of play-acting by both sides involved in the match-up.
In the 28th minute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rolando-c31583 bailed his team’s defence out, as he slid in with a wonderful block, which prevented Rossi from firing off at Porto’s goal, after the Italian striker had tricked his way past the on-rushing Porto goalkeeper, Helton.
In the 29th minute, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Santi-Cazorla-c32505 tried his luck at Porto’s goal after finding himself with space just outside the Porto penalty area.
However, the Spanish winger’s effort was easily gathered in by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Helton-c16018.
In the 31st minute, Hulk led Porto’s offensive charge. The muscular striker had options to his left hand side as well as his right hand side in shape of Fernando and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Radamel-Falcao-c30276 but he unleashed a spectacular left footed drive at Villarreal’s
goal.
Luckily enough for Diego Lopez, the Brazilian target-man’s shot missed Villarreal’s goal by a few inches, as the score line remained at nil all.
In the 41st minute, Borja Valero went into the referee’s book for his late tackle on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Nilmar-c28044 found space
down the right hand side but the Brazilian national team youngster decided to cross the ball.
His accurately looped up cross was met forcefully by Rubén Gracia Calmache, more commonly known as Cani, as the away side brought the score line to one nil with virtually the last kick of the first half. Thus the first half came to a close with the score
line at one nil in favour of Villarreal as the only goal of the opening 45 minutes was scored by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Cani-c8305 via a cross by Nilmar.
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