Evanilson’s second-half hat trick gives Porto 4-1 win at Antwerp in the Champions League
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 25/10/2023 (732 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Substitute Evanilson scored a hat trick as Porto enjoyed a second-half revival to beat Antwerp 4-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday and further reduce the Belgian club’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Antwerp has now lost its three opening matches in Group H. Barcelona tops the standings with a perfect record of three wins and a three-point lead over Porto. Shakhtar Donetsk is in third place with three points.
“I never imagined that when I came on, I’d score three goals,” forward Evanilson said. “It’s incredible, not even in my best dreams. I don’t even know if I’ll sleep tonight.”
Antwerp produced a gritty first-half display that was rewarded with a goal from Alhassan Yusuf. But their catastrophic start to the second half was too much to handle as they once again surrendered a lead.
Before Evanilson — who came on in the 44th minute — and Stephen Eustaquio turned things round for Porto, the hosts had won most of the duels in a close contest at Bosuilstadion.
Porto’s first clear-cut opportunity came in the 22nd after Yusuf gave the ball away and allowed the visitors to launch a swift counterattack. The slick passing move ended with a shot from Mehdi Taremi that was blocked in the box. Brazilian forward Galeno then missed the target after cutting inside following another counterattack as Porto grew into the game and became more dangerous.
But a poor clearance by the Porto defense in the 37th was enough for Anderlecht to take the lead as Yusuf unleashed a strike into the top right corner from Vincent Janssen’s deflected cross.
The teams had been back in action after halftime for less than a minute when Antwerp’s Arthur Vermeeren took unnecessary risks in his own half in trying to get past a pair of Porto players only to lose the ball. Taremi then rushed toward the Antwerp box and set up Evanilson, whose deflected shot ended in the back of the net.
Antwerp looked destabilized by the goal and Porto applied more pressure. The Portuguese dominance was rewarded by a goal from Eustaquio at the end of a well-built passing move in the 54th.
Antwerp captain Toby Alderweireld came close to an equalizer only for his header to hit the crossbar before Evanilson made it 3-1 with a fine volley from Pepe’s assist, and he then chipped over goalkeeper Jean Butez to complete his treble.
Barcelona beat Shakhtar 2-1 in the other group game.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer