FC Porto’s youngsters take scoring load after Samu injury | OneFootball

FC Porto’s under-20s have carried the scoring load since Samu’s injury, supplying two thirds of the goals and sustaining their push in the league, Taça de Portugal and Europa League.

With Luuk de Jong sidelined since November and Samu suffering a serious setback a little over a month ago, the attack fell to Deniz Gul and new signing Moffi, and only Moffi has scored, twice. O Jogo notes that Francesco Farioli has underlined this generation’s importance and envisaged a very good career for them.

Since the league clássico at Alvalade, when Samu was injured, Porto have scored 12. The youngest supplied many of them: Oskar Pietuszewski hit three against Moreirense, Benfica and Arouca, William scored two against Moreirense and Arouca, Froholdt added two against Benfica and Rio Ave, and Rodrigo Mora netted against Estugarda.

Those four are all under 20, average age 18.75. Add Gabri Veiga’s goal against Moreirense at 23 and the youth share becomes 75 percent. The Froholdt-Pietuszewski link stands out, two of the Pole’s were from the Dane, and one of Froholdt’s came from the squad’s youngest.

Across the last seven matches, five of the nine assists have come from players aged 20 or under. It is usually the veterans who step forward, yet Porto’s irrepressible youngsters have tilted contests and kept the club on course in all three competitions.

The lone exception in this spell was Bednarek, 29, who struck the only goal away to Nacional.

Source: O Jogo