FC Porto beat Igualada 3-1 as Carlo Di Benedetto bags a hat-trick | OneFootball

FC Porto won this Wednesday, away at Igualada (Spain), by 3-1, thanks to a hat-trick from Carlo Di Benedetto, in the first round of the group stage of the Roller Hockey Champions League.

The national champions defeated the leader of the Spanish championship: the Frenchman Di Benedetto scored the ‘dragons’ goals at seven, 32, and 35 minutes, and Marc González scored for the hosts at 48.

With this victory, FC Porto adds three points and temporarily leads Group A of the main European competition – it was the only match played so far – which, besides Igualada, also includes FC Barcelona, Reus, Saint-Omer, and Trissino.

Paulo Freitas lined up with Xavi Malián, Telmo Pinto, Pol Manrubia, Hélder Nunes, and Carlo Di Benedetto; Hélder Nunes and Di Benedetto combined as early as the seventh minute, when the Portuguese defender/midfielder feinted, drew in opponents, and assisted the French forward for an exemplary finish.

In this repeat of the Continental Cup semi-final, FC Porto – finalists in the last edition of the Champions League – kept the scoreline very close, leading by just one goal at halftime.

After the break, and following two outstanding saves from Xavi Malián, the duo from the first goal connected again: another assist from Hélder Nunes and another precise shot from Carlo Di Benedetto to make it 2-0.

Number 19 for the blue and whites didn’t stop at a brace and soon completed his hat-trick, with Igualada pulling one back for a consolation goal with less than two minutes remaining.

Carlo Di Benedetto even missed a direct free resulting from the 10th foul in the final moments of the match.

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