Farioli’s Porto shine at set-pieces: 16 goals from corners | OneFootball

At Choupana, FC Porto decided the match with a corner kick – a situation in which Francesco Farioli’s team has proven to be lethal.

In total, there have already been 16 goals scored from the corner flag, and the comparison with previous seasons is remarkable: seven in 2024/25; six in 2023/24; six in 2022/23; nine in 2021/22. That is, in 213 matches over the previous four seasons, the Dragons scored only 12 more goals from corners (28) than in the 35 games played in this edition. To find a season with more goals from corners, you have to go back to 2019/20, whose record is just one goal away.

“We train set pieces a lot, I’m happy with Lucho [González] and Lino [Godinho], the coaching staff is doing a great job with us,” praised Jan Bednarek, who scored the winning goal against Nacional, in a move devised by the assistants that, at the start of the season, was also highlighted by Farioli, who in this case also mentioned Carlos Pintado, an analyst who plays an equally valuable role in the Olival “laboratory.” With enthusiasm and interest from the players, aware that this aspect can be decisive in tight games, the homework combines the strengths of the Porto players and the creativity of the coaches with some weaknesses that can be detected in each opponent, seeking to introduce a dose of unpredictability, with Lino usually very active with instructions on the sideline when the ball goes out. Tense crosses into a crowded six-yard box are common, but there have also been finishes at the far post and flicks at the near post, and even a goal from outside the box, Martim Fernandes’ against Gil Vicente. Interestingly, they have yet to score from a free kick, a situation that is also exhaustively worked on at CTFD Jorge Costa, and where rehearsed plays have been seen, but so far without success.”

Of the 16 goals, ten came in the league and directly resulted in four points won. Besides the 1-0 against Nacional, Deniz Gul made it 2-1 against Moreirense, after a flick by Kiwior at the near post, back in October. In the Primeira Liga, corners were also decisive in the wins over Gil Vicente (in the first round), Rio Ave, and Tondela, and broke the 1-1 draw against Estrela da Amadora. In the Portuguese Cup, a corner from Gabri Veiga to Bednarek allowed FC Porto to beat Benfica (1-0), just as happened the day before yesterday in Madeira.

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