Porto edge out Braga 2-1 in high-quality encounter at the Estádio do Dragão | OneFootball

Porto regained their three-point lead at the top of the Primeira Liga after an entertaining 2-1 win against Braga.

Borja Sainz came off the bench to score yet another late winner for Porto, this time against Braga

Victor Froholdt saw his goal ruled out in the 33rd minute but Porto were rewarded on the stroke of half-time, Samu Aghehowa’s long-range strike taking a fortunate deflection off Rodrigo Mora that wrong footed Lukas Hornicek.

Braga had been battling hard at Estádio do Dragão and got their reward in the 51st minute, Rodrigo Zalazar drilling Ricardo Horta’s corner across the face of goal where Víctor Gómez headed the ball into the net.

Fran Navarro missed a great chance to put the visitors ahead and Deniz Gül went close for Porto, but it was the Dragons who scored the decisive goal in the 79th minute. Borja Sainz took advantage of a poor piece of defending by Gómez and beat Lukas Hornicek, Francisco Farioli’s side closing it out to earn their ninth win in ten Liga matches.

Alan Varela fired a fierce strike straight at Lukas Hornicek but Braga soon proved they had come to Porto to play, frustrating the hosts with high energy pressing. Francisco Moura remonstrated with referee Fábio Veríssimo and found himself booked.

Victor Froholdt volleyed into the roof of the net in the 33rd minute following a corner, Veríssimo ruling that Jan Bednarek had jumped into Hornicek in an attempt to win the ball. The majority of those inside Estádio do Dragão were irate including Francisco Farioli who earned himself a yellow card.

Two pinball goals

The game became a scrappy affair and tempers continued to boil over. Porto took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Samu Aghehowa tried his luck from distance and hit the jackpot, his wayward shot deflecting off Rodrigo Mora, wrongfooting Hornicek and rolling into the net.

The lead didn’t last long with Braga equalising six minutes after the restart. Ricardo Horta’s deep corner found Rodrigo Zalazar who drilled the ball across the face of goal, Víctor Gómez perfectly placed to head the ball into the net.

Farioli brought Martim Fernandes and Gabri Veiga on for Francisco Moura and Rodrigo Mora, Carlos Vicens soon introducing João Moutinho and Fran Navarro for Florian Grillitsch and Pau Victor.

Zalazar tested Diogo Costa after a poor pass from Alan Varela, Farioli wasting little time in replacing Pepê and Samu with Borja Sainz and Deniz Gül.

Navarro misses his chance, Sainz makes no mistake

Navarro fired over the bar from a great position following a fine pass from Horta, the home crowd growing increasingly nervous with time running out. Farioli used his final substitution in the 73rd minute when he brought on Pablo Rosário for William Gomes.

Gül went close as it appeared certain there would be another goal at the Dragão. It came in the 79th when Gabri Veiga played a teasing pass that Gómez should have cleared, his indecisiveness and hesitation allowing Sainz to steal the ball, race into the box and beat Hornicek.

Vicens introduced Gabri Martínez and Diego Rodrigues in the closing stages but there was no way back for Braga, Porto holding on for another hard-fought victory to regain their three-point lead at the top of the table.