Porto 2-2 Famalicão - Title race back on in Liga Portugal as Dragons drop points | OneFootball

Porto’s Liga Portugal title ambitions were dealt a blow at Estádio do Dragão following an enthralling 2-2 draw against Famalicão.

The visitors came into the contest in form and showed why early on. Gustavo Sá sent Sorriso through on goal but the winger was unable to beat Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper coming off his line to make an important save.

Famalicão continued to enjoy plenty of possession and were making inroads out wide, Zaidu Sanisu booked for hauling Rodrigo Pinheiro to the ground. Mathias de Amorim went close and Sá went a whisker wide in the 29th minute.

Porto withstood the onslaught and created their first chance through Sanusi, Terem Moffi steering his cross straight at Lazar Carevic.

The Dragons maintained the pressure and took the lead in the 35th minute. The move was started by Rodrigo Mora who whipped a cross into the box, Moffi inadvertently chesting the ball to Alberto Costa who squeezed the ball into the net.

Mora had recovered from a thigh injury to take his place in the starting side but was forced off the pitch before the break, the youngster replaced by Seko Fofana.

Rafa Soares fired over the bar before a long throw in resulted in Sanusi elbowing Sá in the head. The left-back avoided a second booking and a penalty but was hooked at half-time.

Francesco Farioli replaced the ticking timebomb with Martim Fernandes and William Gomes came on for Oskar Pietuszewski which saw Pepê switch to the left wing.

Famalicão continued to apply pressure after the break and equalised in the 54th minute. Soares’ cross was headed towards goal by Simon Elisor, Costa making the save but unable to prevent Sorriso heading the rebound into the net.

Moffi made way for Deniz Gül on the hour mark and the Turkish striker was immediately involved. He went to ground in a tussle with Sá, no penalty awarded which saw the Porto bench blow up.

Jan Bednarek and Alan Varela were booked in quick succession as the contest heated up. Farioli’s final substitution came in the 74th minute when Borja Sainz replaced Pepê.

The match had just entered eight minutes of added time when Porto regained the lead. Fernandes did well to find Fofana out wide, the midfielder getting past three defenders, surging into the box and curling the ball into the bottom corner.

The capacity crowd inside Estádio do Dragão went ballistic but they were silenced in the final minute of action.

Roméo Beney got past Gomes, Fofana and delivered a dangerous cross into the danger area, pinball ensuing before Pinheiro swept the ball in off the post.

Lead reduced to five points

The result sees Sporting Clube de Portugal sit five points behind Porto with a game in hand. Benfica can join the Lions if they beat Casa Pia in Rio Maior on Monday evening.

Seko Fofana’s late goal provided Porto with a 2-1 win in Braga before the international break and the winter signing appeared to have repeated the feat. Francisco Farioli ran onto the pitch to celebrate his goal but there was plenty of time remaining and the chickens were far from hatched.

The manager has little time to dwell on the result, this match the first of sevent to be played in April. "I think the game overall was below our standards. Of course, being alive in the last moments of the game and drawing, it's a shame not to take the victory.

"It wasn't our best game. We can't go back to this level. Once again, I have to thank the fans for supporting us for 100 minutes. We have a Europa League quarter-final game to prepare for, we can't think too much about this."

Ecstasy turned to agony as Rodrigo Pinheiro's late equaliser left Farioli and the home crowd completely stunned. It was a well deserved point for Famalicão, Hugo Oliveira’s side the most settled in the competition and are fighting Braga for fourth place.

Gustavo Sá has over 100 top flight appearances to his name and the 21-year-old showed why he is destined for a big money move. He displayed his class and guile througout, the captain leading from the front and not taking a back step against the Liga Portugal heavyweights.

Porto now face a crucial part of the season with Nottingham Forest awaiting in the Europa League quarter-finals. In between that they travel to Estoril, their toughest test before a relatively easy run home in the Liga.

It would still be a big surprise if Porto capitulate with the finsh line in sight, but as Farioli knows all too well, it's not over until it's over.