Barcelona claim hard-fought 1-0 victory over Porto in Champions League – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In a tightly contested Champions League Group H clash, substitute Ferran Torres emerged as the hero for Barcelona, scoring the only goal to secure a hard-fought 1-0 win against Porto. The Spanish side finished the match with 10 men after Gavi received a second yellow card for a late foul.
Porto displayed a wasteful but dominant performance throughout the game.In the first half, they had several opportunities to score, with Mehdi Taremi, Stephen Eustaquio, andPepe all missing chances.

It was Ferran Torres, who came off the bench in the 34th minute to replace the injured Robert Lewandowski, that made the crucial difference. Torres intercepted a backward pass from Porto midfielder Romario Baro and calmly slotted the ball into the net during first-half injury time.

Porto regained control in the second half, and Barca defender Jules Kounde played a pivotal role in denying them an equalizer in the 53rd minute. In a breathtaking last-second challenge, Kounde thwarted what seemed to be an imminent goal by Porto’s Pepe, clearing the ball around the post with the tip of his boot.

Reflecting on his remarkable defensive feat, Kounde stated, “It was a pretty quick move that allowed me to clear the ball out. It’s satisfying for a defender to get something like that. I’m happy for not conceding and for the victory above all.”
Porto appeared to be awarded a penalty in the 77th minute when a handball by Barcelona defender Joao Cancelo occurred inside the box. However, the referee reversed his decision after a VAR replay revealed that forward Eustaquio had controlled the ball with the assistance of his left arm during the build-up.
Despite Porto’s relentless pressure in the second half, Barcelona held firm, with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen making crucial saves against strikes by Wendell and Galeno to secure three valuable away points.

Barcelona’s manager, Xavi Hernandez, acknowledged the challenges faced by his team, stating, “The first half was good, but in the second half, we had a hard time controlling the match. We suffered in the end, but this is European football, this is the Champions League. It’s hard to win, especially away from home.”
With this victory, Barcelona now top Group H with six points from two games, holding a three-point lead over Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, who defeated Antwerp 3-2 earlier in the day.
(With Reuters inputs)