Europa League: Porto trounce Nice; Braga battle to point against Rangers | OneFootball

After five matches in the Europa League both Porto and Braga are in an automatic qualification position for the round of sixteen after tonight’s results completed a highly positive week for Portuguese clubs in Europe.

The northern neighbours were both grateful to their Spanish Gabri’s for vital goals as the Blue & Whites beat Nice 3-0 (two goals from Gabri Veiga) at the Estádio do Dragão and Braga drew 1-1 (Gabri Martínez scoring) against Rangers despite playing a significant proportion of the match a man down.

Porto 3-0 Nice

Porto had no trouble seeing off out-of-sorts French outfit Nice, running out 3-0 winners at the Estádio do Dragão thanks to a first-half brace from Gabri Veiga and a second-half penalty converted by Samu.

“This squad is highly committed, honest and professional,” said a satisfied Porto coach, Francesco Farioli after the match.

“The players approached the game in the right way. The early goal helped us put the match in the right direction.

“In the first half we didn’t concede anything. In the second half we dropped our level and it could have cost us a goal. It’s a great result.

“To qualify we need at least 15 points. There’s a long way to go.”

The Dragons sit 8th in the standings and a favourable remaining schedule in the league phase (Malmö and Rangers at home, Plzen away) will make Porto confident of finishing even higher to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.

Rangers 1-1 Braga

Braga travelled to Glasgow again after their 2-0 win at Celtic in October, and started well enough with Ricardo Horta denied twice early on by Jack Butland.

But Rangers came back strongly, Danilo Pereira and Djeidi Gassama thwarted by Hornicek. But there was nothing the Braga goalkeeper could do when Rangers were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time for a Fran Navarro handball and James Tavernier made no mistake from the spot.

On a windy night at Ibrox the game turned physical and bad-tempered in the second half, and when Rodrigo Zalazar was sent off for an apparent headbutt on Raskin, although he barely made contact, it looked like curtains for Braga.

Curiously, perhaps fired by a perceived injustice, the Portuguese team continued to fight with determination in every challenge and in the 69th minute equalised through Gabri Martínez following a long throw-in after Rangers defender Djiga made a mess of his attempted clearance.

Rangers almost regained the lead straight away, Djiga attempting to make up for his mistake but his header from a corner flew just wide.

At this stage Braga were not looking like a side playing a man down, showing plenty of adventure and a goal at either end looked possible. Ricardo Horta nearly scored directly from a corner, with Victor Gomes latching onto Butland’s unconvincing save and firing towards goal, with the goalkeeper forced to tip the ball over the bar.

Deep in stoppage time Rangers defender Mohammed Diomandé was sent off for a second yellow card, but no further goals were scored.

Braga are 7th in the standings with matches against Nice (away), Nottingham Forest (home) and Go Ahead Eagles (away) to come.