FC Porto boss Vitor Pereira claims that poor refereeing was amongst the biggest reasons why his side weren’t able to overcome Gil Vicente in the Primeira Liga yesterday.
The Portistas were in need of a dire three points yesterday in order to maintain their title challenge, as Benfica had secured a nervy win over Feirense the day before.
Although facing Gil Vicente away from home, it was expected that the reigning champions would overcome the middle-table side given their firepower up-front.
However the hosts shell-shocked Liga Sagres with their dominant display as they beat Porto 3-1 on the night. Things started brightly and both the sides were eager to stamp their authority on the match from kick-off.
The Roosters, however, were the ones who took the lead on 15 minutes, as Richard’s free-kick delivery was met by centre-back Claudio, who was able to divert his header beyond the helpless http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Helton-c16018.
Porto tried their way back into the game but without the decisiveness of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vicente-c36001 on the other hand looked lively and were able to double their lead before
returning to their dressing room for half-time.
The home side piled the pressure on the Porto box and unleashed wave after wave of crosses. Their efforts paid off when Nicolas Otamendi was adjudged to have handled the ball and gave away a needless penalty, although there was suspicion of offside which
had been missed by the officials.
Claudio stepped up to take the ensuing spot-kick and ensured that his side went into the break on a high.
The game turned controversial after half-time, as referee http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rolando-c31583
off balance and he calmly fired past the Porto shot-stopper.
Although the Portuguese champions scored a consolation late on, they were unable to secure a win and were left 5 points adrift of table toppers, Benfica.
After the pulsating ninety-minutes, which surely places the Reds in the ascendancy for the title, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vitor-c36281 Pereira was livid over the referee’s decisions, which he claims cost his side the win.
"It was shameful arbitration. It’s like saying that Benfica are already champions. The refereeing team was a disgrace. Our team was bad, and worthy of Gil Vicente defeat but what a shameful refereeing team.”
"It was a horrible first half from us, where we show an apathy of those who not want to be champions. We were penalized because we did not exist in the game. In the second half with a two goals disadvantage, we suffered the third,” Vitor Pereira was quoted
as saying.
With Benfica going top with 5 points, only a miracle can hand http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186 the trophy but given how the club have been performing this term, even that looks impossible.
Tags: