Hapless EL opener
LIVE: Ball in goal, but Porto goal doesn’t count!
Salzburg suffered a bitter home defeat in their Europa League opener: FC Porto won 1:0 (0:0) in Wals-Siezenheim on Thursday after a goal from William Gomes in the 93rd minute.
Coach Thomas Letsch's team would have deserved a point, but Yorbe Vertessen missed an excellent opportunity at the end of the second half. In the second game of the league phase, Salzburg will play away to Olympique Lyon in a week's time.
Salzburg wanted to put their league woes - they only picked up one point in the last three rounds - behind them on the international stage. In the Europa League, it doesn't matter whether you are in first or twelfth place, said Letsch before the game. The German made four changes to his squad after the 2-0 defeat to Sturm Graz. Frans Krätzig, Maurits Kjaergaard and Vertessen were on the bench, while Jannik Schuster was absent due to illness. Just under 10,000 spectators came to watch the Europa League opener in the Arena. The Champions League had been the order of the day for the past six years. Porto coach Francesco Farioli started with his strongest players. Salzburg's respect was particularly due to striker Samu Aghehowa.
"Bulls" much improved
The "Bulls" started ambitiously against Portugal's still unblemished league leaders (six wins) in cold and wet conditions, but the crossbar behind Alexander Schlager was already wobbling in the 3rd minute. Borja Sainz had scored from a corner kick. Salzburg nevertheless looked much improved, winning a lot of the ball and looking for finishes. Portugal's team goalkeeper Diogo Costa had to intervene after eleven minutes against Petar Ratkov, who appeared in front of him, and shortly afterwards a shot from Soumaila Diabate was blocked. Kerim Alajbegovic was keen to get in on the act, with the 18-year-old looking to finish several times.
For the time being, Porto were unable to make the most of their playing advantages against a compact Salzburg defense. The Dragons were only dangerous from set-pieces. Once the ball was in the Salzburg goal, but Aghehowa, who was otherwise not very visible, provided the assist with his hand. Porto went about their business with more precision after half an hour, and Salzburg had to take a deep breath twice more. Victor Froholdt benefited from a deflected shot, but was unable to beat Schlager from a half-right position (33'). A header from Gabri Veiga, who was completely free, was too central (44').
Vertessen misses huge chance
Mads Bidstrup and Co. came out of the break with renewed ambition. Moussa Yeo, who had already been cautioned with a yellow card, came dangerously close to being sent off after an unpunished foul. Cheers erupted in vain in the 57th minute: Yeo was denied by Costa, but Ratkov scored into an empty net. This goal did not count either, as Yeo was clearly offside. Farioli brought on fresh forces and Letsch reacted with a four-man substitution in the attacking department.
A move by two substitutes should have given Salzburg the lead. Sota Kitano found Vertessen, who missed the goal alone in front of Costa (79'). Porto wanted to force a goal more and more, but Salzburg continued to close down the spaces. Only a cross from the right came dangerously close to the corner, but Schlager turned the ball over the bar. Three minutes of stoppage time were shown and Porto managed the "lucky punch": Gomes moved from the right to the center and scored into the far corner.
Final score:
FC Red Bull Salzburg - FC Porto 0:1
Wals-Siezenheim, Red Bull Arena, 9,993, SR Fotias (GRE)
Goal: 0:1 Gomes (93.)
Yellow cards: Yeo, Rasmussen, Kjaergaard, Vertessen and Gomes respectively.
Salzburg: Schlager - Lainer, Gadou, Rasmussen, Terzic - Bidstrup (92nd Gourna-Douath), Diabate - Yeo (65th Kitano), Alajbegovic (65th Kjaergaard) - E. Baidoo (65. Onisiwo), Ratkov (65. Vertessen)
Porto: D. Costa - Rosario, Bednarek, Kiwior, Zaidu (53. Fernandes) - Froholdt, Varela (66. Mora), Veiga (53. Moura) - Pepe (53. Gomes), Aghehowa (77. Gül), Sainz
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