The Visitors Caught Lady Luck at the Death in an Otherwise Close Game

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UEFA Champions League 2019/20. Third qualifying round. First leg. FC Krasnodar (Russia) 0-1 FC Porto (Portugal)

FC Krasnodar (Russia) 0-1 (0-0) FC Porto (Portugal)

Goal: Oliveira, 89 (free kick).

FC Krasnodar (Russia): Safonov, Petrov, Spajić, Martynovich, Ramírez, Kambolov (Fjóluson, 72), Vilhena, Cabella, Namli (Suleymanov, 66), Wanderson, Berg (Ari, 62).

FC Porto (Portugal): Marchesín, Telles, Marcano, Pepe, Manafá, Danilo, Oliveira, Baró (Díaz, 55), Corona (Otávio, 25), Soares (Zé Luís, 75), Marega.

Yellow cards: Kambolov, 27 (foul play) – Danilo, 38 (foul play), Baró, 49 (foul play), Corona, 63 (foul play)

Referees: Stieler, Gittelmann, Foltyn (all Germany).

7 August 2019. Krasnodar. FC Krasnodar Stadium. Clear. 23 degrees. 34 874 spectators.

FC Krasnodar Stadium was overcrowded with supporters on a warm August night when the Bulls made their debut in the UEFA Champions League. They met FC Porto, number ten club of the UEFA team ranking. Early in the game the visitors looked more organized and dangerous with their unceasing attacks, but eventually the black-greens made the game equal. On the contrary, the ending of the first half was spent with the home team having a minor superiority on a field of play.

Both teams left the pitch for the half-time interval at nil-nil on the scoreboard. The game then resumed, and attacking type of football went on, full of mutual and fairly equal scoring chances. The Krasnodar team came short of success on the 80th minute when Cabella fired a shot on the run after a pass by Petrov. The away team was saved by their keeper who parried the ball on its way under the crossbar. As for the Dragões, they made good use of their only real scoring chance in the second half. On the 89th minute Sérgio Oliveira skillfully executed a free kick, and FC Porto thus achieved a minimal win.