Un doblete de
Mbemba tumbó a un Benfica que recortó distancias hacia el final con un penalti
transformado por v.
El Porto logró
hoy su segundo título de la temporada tras la liga, la Copa de Portugal,
gracias al doblete del congoleño Mbemba, salvador de un equipo que quedó en la
primera mitad con 10 tras dos imprudencias del colombiano Luis Díaz pero
terminó venciendo al Benfica por 2-1.
Benfica y Porto
protagonizaron el duelo de la Copa en un estadio vacío por coronavirus que
amplificaba órdenes de los entrenadores y juramentos e improperios de los
implicados ante las frustraciones de la primera parte.
Si el Porto entró
mejor en el juego, exhibiendo ofensivas rápidas y teniendo la mejor ocasión de
la primera media hora, con un remate de Corona que obligó a lucirse a
Vlachodimos, el Benfica fue eficaz a la hora de equilibrar la balanza, sacando
en el proceso de quicio al rival.
La mejor prueba
fue el colombiano Luis Díaz, que vio dos amarillas por faltas sobre André
Almeida, la segunda de ellas con un golpe en la pierna tan imprudente que no
dejó al árbitro.
Los “dragones” se
quedaban en el 38 con diez en el campo y su entrenador, Sérgio Conceição, en
estado total de irritación, que comenzó con la primera amarilla de Díaz.
Sus quejas tras
la expulsión del jugador acabaron en su propia salida: Artur Dias le sacaba la
roja en el 43, harto de sus protestas.
Mbemba se alzó
como héroe ya en el 47, con un cabezazo facilitado por una mala salida de
Vlachodimos, desatando la alegría blanquiazul.
El congoleño
confirmó el estado de gracia en el 59, a balón parado de nuevo, y el Porto
relajó a partir de entonces el juego, recreándose y buscando pasar el tiempo.
Comenzaban ya a
celebrar el título cuando Diogo Leite cometió una falta sobre Rafa que se
convirtió en penalti a favor del Benfica en el 83.
Vinícius lo
convirtió en gol un minuto más tarde, desatando así una carrera desesperada en
los últimos minutos por conseguir el empate y forzar la prórroga, algo que casi
consiguió Jota en el 90, pero no pudo ser.
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