After weeks of practice, hard work and team bonding, the Porto side finally arrived with a competitive game to play.
With the sun beating down on a 90+ hot September day, Porto looked ready and took to the field with purpose and heart to get their league campaign going.
In the early exchanges, both teams were feeling each other out as both sides enjoyed well worked phases of play and both looking to dominate the wing. Good moves between David, Maxwell and Kevin looked to be the most dangerous as the attacking three calved their way through the Sharks defence on more than one occasion, but found an alert Sharks keeper in between the sticks and keeping his goal safe. At the other end, the Porto team were equal to the task with match captain Nicholas leading by example and controlling the back line well. With Nicholas's strength and voice, Kai and Matt looked to grow in confidence and the back three reduced the Sharks to long range shooting, which Danny easily watched go wide or into his arms. With already one Porto player on the bench in the form of Remi, the Porto side suffered another knock as Matt got caught a little late with a tackle and ended up the worst with a twisted ankle. Owen came straight in the left back position and got straight into play linking up Ryan for a well timed cross for Maxwell just to strike over the bar. David started to look very dangerous in the middle of the park as on more than one occasion he weaved his way through the Sharks defence and supplied well for Max and Ryan to cross the ball in. This would come to haunt the Porto side later, but for now, the Porto team continued to look strong. It was a corner kick that opened up the Sharks team and got the Porto side off the mark from the most unlikely of sources. Right Back Kai had gone up for the corner and sprung on a loose ball to notch the Porto's first goal of the campaign. 1-0. With this, Porto looked more confident. Ryan started to find some space down the left and started to link well with Kevin up front who was looking for his first goal of the season after notching 4 in the pre season friendly on Wednesday. Kevin didn't have to wait much longer as again a well worked passing play sprung the Porto side loose and enabled Kevin to smack the ball past the GK to put the Porto team in a 2-0 commanding lead. After the 2nd goal, changes were made with Cole coming in to freshen up the central role and Andy coming on for Kai. The changes worked well as Andy looked more than enough for the Sharks winger and started a nice move from the back line forward gave Porto their 3rd goal of the afternoon and looked to be stretching out of sight. As the half time approached, Sharks looked beat and the Porto team kept pushing on the opponents back line looking for more, but could only find a Sharks keeper equal to the task as Ryan, Max and David all went one on one with the keeper, but could only find his arms on each occasion. Right before the whistle, Sharks got a lifeline when from a corner the ball seemed to elude all the Porto players and found it's way to the back post where a sharks player sprung loose to get them on the board. HT 3-1
With the late goal being conceded, Coach echoed to the boys to make sure they went out and got straight into the Sharks comfort zone. As the match fitness started to rundown, Coach also asked for a more possession based attitude and passing and moving to conserve energy and dictate the play.
As the 2nd half got underway, Porto looked to try and get the break through they needed that potentially would end the game and secure the win. But, it just seemed to elude the Porto side as several chances went begging and also culminating in a excellent battling attitude from Kevin to release the ball for David to hit the cross bar. As the half progressed, the Porto side found themselves being pressed back. Some excellent defensive play from Danny and Andy kept the Sharks at bay, but the general fitness of the Sharks was starting to shine through, with the Porto's team lack of games also coming into play along with not having fresh players in the shape of the injured pair Remi and Matt.
To their credit, Porto dug deep and pushed hard to keep the ball. Cole worked the ball well as he looked to dribble through the middle and link well with Owen, who tried to find Kevin in the centre, but the fitness of the Sharks allowed them to get to the ball quicker. All the players dug deep and started to put it all on the line as Kai took a knock going into a tackle, Maxwell also making an important save took to the head.
Sharks finally reduced the deficit with a well taken goal as they worked the ball through the midfield and back line and found the top corner past a helpless Maxwell in goal. 3-2. With this Porto tried to keep things fresh, but after 50 minutes in the heat and with only 2 subs, it was tough going. Owen looked to keep the ball well up the Sharks end of the field, but with the legs feeling heavy, their was less and less Porto players in advanced positions. With the minutes seeming like hours, the Porto team looked like they would cling on to the 3-2 victory, but alas it wasn't to be. With Porto trying all they could to clear a cross played into the box, the ball just didn't seem to want to go further than a yard and despite their absolute best efforts, the ball eventually found it's way to a Sharks player who knocked the game equaliser. FT 3-3
