As the Porto boys suffered another harsh lesson yesterday, they didn't have long to dwell on the result as today they were facing fellow bottom of the table scrappers PSA Gold. With team captain returning to the side after his suspension, the Porto boys were looking for their second victory of the season.
As the game got underway, it was clear that if Porto wanted the points, they were going to have to earn them as Porto were put under immediate pressure from the visiting side. It only took 6 minutes when the confidence stricken defence got caught between each other and the PSA striker poached the ball and managed to get through. Porto were rocking and clearly lacking confidence as their game looked scrappy and sluggish. There was more frustration to come when on the 16th minute PSA took a two goal lead and on early play fully deserving. Porto could not get anything going and it took a well struck free kick from game MVP Cole to get the Porto side back in the hunt. In the final 10 minutes of the half, Porto were pressing hard, but just couldn't get the ball into the back of the net to tie up the game at the half. HT 1-2
With a sluggish start, Coach praised the resolve to get themselves back into the hunt, but bemoaned the same old frailties that had haunted them this year in the league. With more direct messages to individual players to tighten up certain aspects, Coach was hoping to fire up the Porto boys to get the game back into their hands.
As the second half got underway, Porto were by far the most dominant. PSA could get the ball out of their half and couldn't get Porto off them, but after a promising start, PSA did start to capitalise on players standing still and not coming to receive the ball as many Porto players looked like they were watching a soccer game rather than participating. It would take the heroics of 3/4 Porto boys to get back in the game and this did come from two of them. As Nick whipped a corner in, Cole was there to header home. At 2-2, the game became open and with Porto looking to get their flow going, it was a great through ball that sent Kai through to try and poke past the keeper. Despite getting to the ball a good few yards away, the momentum of Kai took him into the keeper who was clearly hurt. Referee (being nowhere near the play) took the easy option and booked Kai. Porto were still pressing, but their defence looked very fragile and each time PSA broke it looked as if Porto would concede. Porto should have won the game however when through a quick break, Thomas's shot hit the cross bar and came down a yard over the line and out, but due to the linesman not being level or anywhere near the play, his flag stayed down and he determined that the ball had not crossed the line. He of course would have been correct.. If the line was the one on the field behind our goal. Regardless of this, Porto fell asleep for a brief moment and with the resulting break, a heart in mouth moment occurred as PSA had a 2v1 situation and with Dani charging out, handled outside the area and gave a free kick away. With the resulting kick, it sailed safely over the bar. FT 2-2
COACHES THOUGHTS
Frustrating isn't the word that would describe my loss of explanation for what is happening at the moment, but ever since bringing home the medals from Mooresville, we seem to be still toasting the party and not taking that victory into our games. Today at times, we could see the engines trying to spark, but all too often the panic button was being hit too quickly. With one game left to play in the league against arch TU rivals Arsenal, TU Porto now have two weeks to prepare and get themselves in the mood to get going! As we are seeing though and some learnings for next year, more players need to step up to the plate to contribute as many players look at times to be watching and disengaged to the action, when they are needed. All lesson's to learn and ones I hope the boys will start to figure out. Tough draw, but points all the same.
Great effort boys and let's get into training and fix our team!
