FC Porto vs Manchester United, 2003/04 UEFA Champions League, Round of 16
· 1st Leg
FT
2 - 1
1st Leg
2 - 1
1st Leg
About
FC Porto are hosting Manchester United
at Estadio das Antas , , Portugal, starting on
. The match is a part of the UEFA Champions League.
Match Timeline
- 0': All the first leg action as the Premiership champions visit the Portuguese treble-winners. Kicking off at 19.45 GMT
- 0': The FC Porto team for tonight's match: Vitor Baia, Paulo Ferreira, Jorge Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Pedro Mendes, Maniche, Deco, Alenitchev, Carlos Alberto, McCarthy. Subs: Nuno, Pedro Emanuel, Ricardo Costa, Jankauskas, Bosingwa, Ricardo Fernandes, Bruno Moraes.
- 0': And the Man Utd line-up: Howard, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Brown, Fortune, Keane, Butt, Scholes, Saha, Giggs, van Nistelrooy. The Subs: Carroll, Ronaldo, Bellion, Kleberson, Djemba-Djemba, Forlan, O'Shea.
- 0': The players take the pitch for the UEFA anthem and the brand new Estadio das Antas prepares to host what will be its first European match.
- 0': Germany's Herbert Fandel blows the whistle and United us underway...
- 0': Scholes intercepts a loose pass and feeds it back to makeshift centre-half Gary Neville
- 1': Deco cuts out a pass on the United right which he feeds to Mendes who tries his luck from distance but Howard saves easily
- 1': Phil Neville brought down by Deco and United have a freekick in the centre of the pitch
- 2': Handball given against Van Nistelrooy, but the ref has it wrong - the ball hit Porto defender Carvalho
- 3': Gary Neville launches a long ball from the back, but he is still no Beckham - the ball misses its target and goes out
- 4': Spell of pressure from Porto on the United left puts Fortune under pressure, but Giggs back-tracks to help solve the problem
- 5': Valente plays it back to legendary keeper Victor Baia as Porto seek to calm the game
- 5': Brown concedes a corner after closnig down a Paul Ferreria
- 6': Dogged work from Scholes pushes the ball out wide, the Porto cross finally comes in but McCarthy has no chance of reaching it and it's goal kick
- 7': Giggs fouled rather clumsily by Alenitchev
- 8': Ferreira has started brightly down the Porto right flank and looks dangerous
- 9': Mendes floats a ball toward the United penalty area, but it is headed clear
- 10': Good defending by Brown who clears a dangerous ball crossed in by Ferreria on the right
- 11': Alenitchev fires a shot/ cross through the United box and Howard watches it out of play
- 12': Good work from Scholes who shields the ball from Porto to hold possession
- 12': Foul against Giggs by Costa - and a freekick in a dangerous position outside the Porto penalty area
- 13': Goal!!!
- 14': The freekick was rolled to Paul Scholes who lashed the ball which flew fast and low to Baia goal, the keeper could only parry the ball and Quinton Fortune chasing in for loose ball slotted the ball home - 1-0 United
- 14': Carlos Alberto works himself into a shooting position, and his dipping, curling shot is only just off target!
- 16': Great cross on the break from United: Fortune whipped the ball in from the left, the defender failed to cut the cross out, but Van Nistelrooy got himself in a real mess and failed to decide whether to head it or use his feet; as a result he fluffed the chance to make it 2-0
- 17': Pulsating start to the match - Porto have tried to pass their way past United who have looked dangerous on the break and a probably just deserving of their lead
- 18': Porto concede a corner
- 19': Giggs aims it at Saha, but he is muscled out of the way and Porto clear
- 19': Van Nistelrooy is tackled on the edge of the Porto box - he rather over did it and should have crossed first time
- 20': Deco and Alenitchev work the ball forward - great skill and technique by the pair
- 22': The referee gives a foul against Scholes for high feet in a 50-50 situation - the United bench disgusted
- 23': Phil Neville tries to get past Valente, but he tackles the United man with ease
- 23': Porto switch it at speed to the right flank and but for great tackle from Giggs Alberto was in the clear
- 24': The pace has slowed as Porto spread the ball around leisurely as United get into a strong defensive position
- 25': Porto move the ball up field and launch a cross into the box, but Brown heads it clear with the minimum of fuss
- 26': A great ball from Maniche releases an unmarked Dmitri Alenitchev who waste time trying to get the ball onto his left foot and allowed United to get a block on the shot
- 27': United escape as shot pinballs through the box and out for a corner - lucky
- 27': Porto let United off the hook from the corner and United can breathe again after a worrying spell
- 28': Goal for Porto!!
- 29': Great build up from Porto. Carlos Alberto slips the ball to Alenitchev on the right wing and Benny McCarthy hammered the ball past Howard at the near post for his 17th goal in all competitions this season.
- 29': Yellow card for Fortune for rash tackle on Carlos Alberto
- 30': Howard makes an unusually save at the feet of McCarthy well of his line to save United's blushes, the visitors are looking ragged and need to find come composure and quick
- 31': Offside given against United - Saha and the forward line all off from Giggs' cross
- 32': Valente seeing plenty of the ball as the left back sprays the passes
- 33': Butt and Fortune play some very dangerous short passes just outside their own area as Porto try to close them down - risky stuff
- 34': The Porto fans are in fine voice, but the United enclave, much like the team, are a little subdued
- 35': Carlos Alberto and Deco try to exchange passes in the United area but Howard is off his line to claim the ball
- 35': Plenty of gaps appearing in the United defence, that will be a concern for Sir Alex, particularly as the game stretches in the second half
- 36': Freekick on the corner of the United penalty area after Fortune clattered Alenitchev
- 37': The freekick, from an acute angle, is over-hit and there is no threat to the Howard net
- 38': Carlos Alberto gets past three United defenders, but he fails to dribble the ball past the fourth and United clear their lines
- 39': Ferreria links with Carlos Alberto, a constant threat, but the final ball is poor
- 40': Alenitchev tries a shot but Brown deflects it out for a corner
- 40': Deco takes it short and the cross is over-hit
- 41': Saha and United break, but a pass is played behind Van Nistelrooy and the Red Devils relinquish possession far too easily
- 42': Good clearance from Gary Neville's head, butt slips it forward and Saha is fouled
- 42': Scholes takes the kick quickly but to no avail and Baia has it
- 43': A late spell of United possession ends when Saha fouls Valente, a rash attempt
- 44': Porto spread the ball across the back and try to work it forward only for Saha to intercept
- 44': Saha wins a freekick which is taken short to Scholes
- 45': Decent play from United ends when a very good cross from Giggs finds Saha wanting in the height department, the Frenchman stretches but he can only head it out
- 45': That's the first half over and Ferguson will have a few choice words for Butt and Keane who have failed to stamp any authority in the centre of the pitch from where Porto have bossed the game so far
- 45': It's not all bad news though, United have a crucial away goal, but they need to get in amongst Porto who are spreading passes and using the skill of Carlos Alberto to carve the backline open - Keep it here for the second half!!
- 45': And we're back underway...
- 45': Keane wins it and feeds Fortune but his pass to Van Nistelrooy is poor and Porto win it back
- 46': A lovely chested ball from Deco allowed Porto to cross, but the shot was scuffed and well wide of the target
- 47': Saha ruled by the ref to have fouled Deco - Porto freekick
- 48': Ferreria and Valente have both started the sceond half brightly for Porto, with cross from both raining in on United's patchwork defence
- 49': Keane given offside - the United skipper perhaps looking to get forward in the second 45?
- 50': Valente takes a dive over Scholes outstretched leg - but the ref tells him to stand up
- 51': Carlos Alberto catches Saha in possession and passes to McCarthy who has a shot from range but it ricochets off the numerous United bodies infront of him
- 52': Foul given Fortune, Deco gets something for nothing against Fortune
- 53': The freeekick from the right flank comes in and McCarth turns and hits the ball straight at Howard
- 53': Saha is down and injured after a clash in the box as the freekick was delievered
- 54': The Frenchman looks shaken, but he'll be fine to carry on surely
- 55': A good cross-field ball from Phil Neville finds Van Nistelrooy who angles a ball to Saha, but he is out-numbered and loses out
- 56': Brilliant footwork by Carlos Alberto gets him past Fortune and provides Deco with a shot on goal
- 57': Porto win a corner after a cross aimed at MCCarthy was headed out
- 58': The corner lands at McCarthy's feet but he wants too long to dig it out and United clear their lines
- 59': United coming off second best in almost everything in the middle of the park and in the Porto half - Porto very much in the ascendancy
- 60': Gary Neville improvises his way out of a difficult spot and Porto press
- 61': Alenitchev, Medes, McCarthy, Carlos Alberto and Ferreria exchange passes as Porto use their dominance to work themselves toward the United goal
- 62': McCarthy fails to get his header on target, but Howard is furious that he got the chance and berates his defence
- 63': Substitution for Porto off goes Alenitchev who has had a great night, and in his place comes Edgaras Jankauskas
- 64': Valente whips in a cross and Brown manages to get up before Jankauskas, a tall striker who looks like he will thrive on crosses
- 65': A half-chance for United in their first meaningful attack of the half - a slide rule pass from Giggs was just too heavy for Saha and Baia gets there first
- 66': Lovely touches from Deco as he flicks the ball out to Valente
- 67': Porto are slow to close down on Fortune and United move forward, but Fortune's cross is just not good enough
- 68': Carlos Alberto skips past Scholes and finds himself in space put his header is well over the bar
- 69': John O'Shea comes on for Phil Neville - will he swap places with Gary Neville at centre half or stay on the right where Phil was stationed?
- 70': Jankauskas crashes into Howard looknig to claim a high ball and the ref is unimpressed
- 71': Gary Neville on the deck after a relatively innocuous and unintentional slap in the face from McCarthy
- 72': Porto being pegged back by United, Saha has dropped into the midfield and this has helped Untied to close down space
- 73': Saha brought down by Valente as he tries to make a break down the right wing
- 74': Another change for Porto, off goes the exciting 19-year-old Carlos Alberto and in his palce comes Ricardo Fernandes
- 75': Jankauskas heads a cross from Valente over Howard's goal
- 76': Substitution for United Saha is replaced by Ronaldo who is roundly booed by his Portuguese compatriots in the crowd
- 76': Substitution for United: Saha is replaced by Ronaldo who is roundly booed by his Portuguese compatriots in the crowd
- 76': Goal for Porto!!
- 77': A stunning header from McCarthy who leapt above Brown and Gary Neville to direct the ball past Howard after a deep cross from the left wing
- 78': Ferguson and the United bench look far from impressed, McCarthy had no right to beat two men for the header
- 79': Ronaldo has a word with the ref after he is dumped on his backside
- 80': Ten minutes left for United to rescue the situation with another away goal
- 81': Ronaldo tries his luck from a freekick but Baia claims the ball comfortably
- 82': Another change for Porto - off goes two-goal hero McCarthy to be replaced by Dos Santos Bruno Moraes
- 83': A theatrical fall from Deco wins a freekick for Porto
- 85': Not a great night for United, five minutes to go, and while they have another 90 minutes to see off Porto at Old Trafford they have been second best tonight
- 86': Roy Keane is sent off!!
- 87': The clearly frustrated Irishman latched onto a through ball from Ronaldo, he was beaten to it by Baia but Keane continued his run by treading on Baia thigh ? a straight red
- 87': Yellow card for an over-excited Butt - United need to keep their powder dry, accept the 2-1 loss and get back to Manchester still in the tie
- 88': More pressure for United to deal with as Moraes tries a shot
- 89': The night started so well but it has ended badly for United with Keane off and a McCarthy brace
- 90': Three minutes of added time
- 91': Deco hits a low shot at Howard who gathers well as Jankauskas follows up looking for a spill
- 92': Freekick on the left wing for United. Scholes and Fortune work it but the final ball is over-hit
- 92': Costa launches a long ball down the pitch in an effort to work the clock down
- 93': And that's it, fulltime! United have been justifiably beaten by Porto with two from South Africa?s Benny McCarthy made worse by Keane?s dismissal
- 93': Keane will now miss the second leg and possibly the quarter finals if United can turn the tie around! A bad night at the office for Ferguson's men.
Game Information
Competition: UEFA Champions League
Venue: Estadio das Antas
Location: , Portugal
Attendance: 49,977
Venue: Estadio das Antas
Location: , Portugal
Attendance: 49,977
Line-Ups
FC Porto
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 99 | Manuel Vitor Baia (GK) |
| 22 | Paulo Ferreira |
| 2 | Paulo Jorge Costa |
| 4 | Ricardo Carvalho |
| 8 | Nuno Valente |
| 23 | Pedro Mendes |
| 18 | Maniche |
| 10 | Deco |
| 15 | Dmitri Alenichev |
| 19 | de Jesus Carlos Alberto |
| 77 | Benni McCarthy |
Manchester United
| No. | Name |
|---|---|
| 14 | Tim Howard (GK) |
| 3 | Phil Neville |
| 2 | Gary Neville |
| 6 | Wes Brown |
| 25 | Quinton Fortune |
| 16 | Roy Keane  |
| 8 | Nicky Butt  |
| 18 | Paul Scholes |
| 11 | Ryan Giggs |
| 9 | Louis Saha |
| 10 | Ruud van Nistelrooy |
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