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In the last decade, FC Porto’s trips to Madeira, to play against Marítimo, almost always ended badly. Between 2012 and 2018, the portistas were unable to beat the maritimistas in Funchal, but with the arrival of Sérgio Conceição, the “curse” was broken. However, on matchday 3 of the 2020-21 League, Marítimo returned to torment FC Porto. With a personalized display, the Madeiran took advantage of a weak performance by the Porto players and, for the first time in the history of the championship, they left the house of the “dragon” with a victory (2-3). In the end, Conceição’s message to his players was clear: “Anyone who is not competitive has an open door to leave.”
The first two games of FC Porto in the championship had ups and downs, but the performances against competent rivals (Sp. Braga and Boavista) did not predict that, in the third round, the “dragons” would hit the canvas against a Marítimo who had not yet convinced .
True to the formula presented at the beginning of the League, Conceição once again bet on stability and, without reinforcements in the “eleven”, made two changes in relation to the game in Bessa. Diogo Costa took the place of the injured Marchesín and, in attack, there was an improvement: after checkmate Boavista with the exchange of Uribe for Luis Díaz, Conceição offered the title to the winger, placing Otávio in the central zone.
On the other hand, in theory, Lito Vidigal would project a traction team behind (Lucas Áfrico’s entry and defense to five), but Marítimo’s third act in the League was a pleasant surprise for the show and a headache for FC Porto .
The first opportunity was even for the Porto players, but at 12 ‘, Marítimo left the first warning: Correa beat Diogo Costa, but nine centimeters put the Argentine in an irregular position. Thereafter, the Funchal team was released. Without subordinating himself to the champion, he began to give Diogo Costa a hard time and, at 24 ‘, Winck made an enormous quality pass for Rodrigo Pinho and the Brazilian, with class, sat down Mbemba and fired into the back of the net.
FC Porto’s reaction was timid. The “dragons” only at 38 ‘made the first shot in the frame of Amir’s goal, but, four minutes later, with another guided assist from Alex Telles, Pepe scored the match 150 for the “dragons” with goal 12 for the “blues and white.” As with Sp. Braga, it seemed that FC Porto was going to take a turn.
Repeating what he had done for long periods of the first half, Marítimo boldly returned from the break and, with some joy in the mix, scored again: Getterson hit the crossbar with a bang and, whimsically, the ball went to Pinho . With no one on target, the Brazilian scored twice.
FC Porto had almost 40 minutes to erase the bad image and Conceição reinforced the attack (Díaz for Taremi). However, the night was not the night of the “dragon”. Without strong forwards in the air, the Porto players were predictable in attack, but at 70 ‘, Renê Santos prevented Sérgio Oliveira from scoring again at the goal line.
Forced to risk everything, Conceição launched Zé Luís and Fábio Vieira, and even without discernment, FC Porto had a chance to draw at Alex Telles’ feet in the 87th minute, but Amir prevented the Brazilian from scoring again.
With the “dragons” balanced in the attack, Nanú took the opportunity to make the entire run on the right and, at the entrance of the area, scored a goal. In the last minute of the discounts, Otávio still reduced, but it was not enough to avoid the first hit on the table by Sérgio Conceição.
