Champions League round-up: Ferran Torres helps Barcelona edge Porto
CRUCIAL: Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring against Porto. Pic: AP Photo/Luis Vieira
Substitute Ferran Torres scored to give Barcelona a hard-fought 1-0 win at Porto in their Champions League Group H clash Wednesday night, with the Spanish side finishing with 10 men after Gavi got a second yellow card for a foul in added time.
Torres intercepted a pass by Porto midfielder Romario Baro and raced towards the box to score with a tidy finish during first-half injury time.
Barcelona held on against Porto’s relentless pressure and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s heroics were crucial to help the visitors earn three valuable points away from home.
Barca are top of Group H on six points from two games, three ahead of Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, who beat bottom side Antwerp 3-2 earlier on Wednesday.
AC Milan were frustrated by a disciplined Borussia Dortmund as their Group F fixture in the Champions League ended in a cagey 0-0 draw at Signal Iduna Park.
Milan’s most productive spell came towards the end of the match but Samuel Chukwueze stumbled when presented with a clear chance, sending the ball straight to keeper Gregor Kobel, while Tijjani Reijnders put the rebound just wide.
Alvaro Morata scored a brace to help Atletico Madrid fight back and secure a frantic 3-2 win over Feyenoord in their Champions League Group E clash, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak putting in a superb second-half performance for the hosts.
Feyenoord were arguably the better side throughout and took an early lead thanks to an unfortunate own goal by defender Mario Hermoso, as Oblak’s rebound from an Ayase Ueda effort in the sixth minute bounced off his knee and deflected into his own goal.
The hosts hit back five minutes later with Morata striking a rebound from inside the box.
His effort was first ruled out by the referee for an offside in the build up but the official changed his mind after a VAR check, having decided that the player who was in an offside position did not interfere.
The Dutch side were back in front in the 34th minute thanks to David Hancko’s strike after the ball came back off Oblak, who had made a superb reflex save from Hancko’s first effort.
Feyenoord were in total control and Gernot Trauner wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead four minutes later, firing just wide.
Atletico recovered with a close-range strike from Antoine Griezmann during first-half injury time and Morata secured the win shortly after the restart by firing into the net after a cross from Nahuel Molina.
Feyenoord tried to turn their superiority into goals, with the skilful Igor Paixao creating all kinds of trouble for the hosts’ defence, but Oblak’s heroics frustrated the visitors and earned Atletico three valuable points.
Red Star Belgrade and Young Boys played out a 2-2 draw in Group G.
