Farioli keeps faith in Gul as Moffi pushes for a starting spot | OneFootball

In his third game for FC Porto, Terem Moffi scored for the first time, netting the third goal for the Dragons in their victory over Arouca—a win (3-1) more hard-fought than the score suggests. The Nigerian forward quickly justified his signing in the winter transfer market, on loan from Nice, and began to take on the role of finisher that was expected of him.

With an imposing physique and a sharp instinct for goals, Moffi skillfully took advantage of William Gomes' masterful pass to beat Arruabarrena and seal the score. The play not only demonstrated the growing integration of the striker but also reinforced the typical confidence of true finishers. The Nigerian thus seems to be in the running for a spot in the starting eleven for the classic against Sporting, in Alvalade, on Tuesday, in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals.

The celebration—a dangerous backflip—reflected the relief of someone who felt the pressure to open the scoring. At the same time, it reignited the discussion about who should fill the spot previously held by Samu, sidelined by a serious injury. Deniz Gul was the natural choice to replace him, but the Turkish international has yet to confirm his prowess as a striker. Curiously, all of Gul's goals for FC Porto have come from the bench, as he still seeks his first as a starter.

However, Farioli maintains full confidence in Gul, who retains credit with the Italian coach to continue as the offensive reference. Still, Moffi is beginning to eye the opportunity, presenting enough arguments to promote a healthy competition for the starting spot.

The Nigerian's performance in the 30 minutes against Arouca left encouraging signs and offers Farioli a solid alternative after the loss of Samu. Another relevant aspect of the match was the influence of Porto's bench. While Moffi brought new energy to the attack, William Gomes was even more decisive: he came on to calmly convert the penalty for 2-1 in the 90+1 minute and shortly after assisted for the final 3-1.

The impact of the substitutes has been a constant for FC Porto. Already in the 21st round, against Sporting, the winter signing Fofana came off the bench to score, although the Lions equalized with a penalty by Luis Suárez. The result (1-1) kept the rivals separated by four points in the standings but reinforced an idea that Farioli surely values: in the current FC Porto, there is quality both in the starting eleven and among the bench players.

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