Tiago Silva: Porto’s press failed against Braga | OneFootball

Tiago Silva, a well-known FC Porto member, states that the introduction of Pablo Rosario in place of William Gomes in the 73rd minute was the decisive moment of Sunday’s FC Porto–Sp. Braga match, which the Dragons won, despite difficulties, 2-1. The entry of the international from the Dominican Republic gave the blue and whites more “balance in midfield,” something the team had not managed, especially in the second half.

The commentator believes that, even at halftime, the Italian coach had tried to correct flaws that had been evident in the first 45 minutes. “Farioli tried to drop the lines back a bit to win the ball from Sp. Braga in deeper areas, playing longer in order to take advantage of the space left behind the Braga midfielders,” the lawyer explains, acknowledging, however, that the team never stopped showing “difficulties in linking up play.”

For Tiago Silva, this limitation had already been noticeable from the start of the match. “FC Porto faced a very competent Sp. Braga with the ball, and the pressure they tried to apply on Sp. Braga’s build-up in the first half rarely worked,” he emphasizes.

Despite his reservations about Porto’s performance against the warriors, Francesco Farioli receives praise from the member for the way he changed the team’s dynamics. “He ends up winning the game from the bench, by putting Gabri Veiga on the right and bringing on Pablo Rosario. That was the key moment of the match, as it allowed FC Porto to gain greater balance in midfield,” Silva says in statements to the newspaper Record, adding that this match could serve as a serious warning.

“The lessons to be learned from this game are that you can also win by substituting forwards for midfielders and that victories always start with how well you defend,” describes Tiago Silva, concluding: “FC Porto won’t always play well, nor will they always be overwhelming or dominant, but if they maintain the consistency and defensive balance they’ve been showing, they will always be closer to victory.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.