PORTO, Portugal, April 29, (RTRS): Prolific Colombian striker Radamel Falcao scored four goals in Porto’s 5-1 demolition of Villarreal in their Europa League semifinal first leg.
The Portuguese champions trailed at the break but an inspired second-half display put Porto on the brink of a place in next month’s final in Dublin.
“It’s the first time I’ve scored a ‘poker,’ four goals. A magical night that I will never forget,” Falcao said.
“It was a great win. We didn’t fall apart after going behind and were able to react rapidly.”
Villarreal were dangerous in the first half and were rewarded in the closing seconds when Brazil forward Nilmar crossed for midfielder Cani to head the La Liga side in front.
The home side equalised on 49 minutes when Falcao converted a penalty after he rounded Diego Lopez and forced the keeper to bring him down.
Buoyed by the goal, Porto drove forward and went ahead on the hour-mark when Falcao’s compatriot Fredy Guarin dribbled past Bruno Soriano on the right wing, cut in to fire a fierce shot against the post and headed in from the rebound.
Falcao added Porto’s third in the 67th minute with a tap-in after Hulk led a counter-attack and then the fourth with a diving header from a curling free kick by Guarin that left the Spanish defence standing.
The striker took his Europa League goal tally to 15 with a looping header from a James Rodriguez corner in the last minute.
“He’s outstanding, a fantastic striker,” said Porto coach Andre Villas Boas, adding that major European clubs who want to lure the Colombian away from Portugal will have to pay a big price tag.
In Lisbon, a thunderous free kick by Paraguay striker Oscar Cardozo gave Benfica a 2-1 first-leg home win over Braga in their all-Portuguese Europa League semifinal.
Benfica had a goal disallowed and hit the post in the first half, while Braga also came close with a dangerous long-range shot from left back Silvio.
The hosts went ahead five minutes after the break when Cardozo headed against the post and centre back Jardel pounced to slide in from the rebound.
Braga levelled three minutes later when Hugo Viana sent in a curling free kick from the left and an unmarked Vandinho headed in almost with his back to the goal.
Cardozo earned Benfica the win on 59 minutes with a powerful free kick into the top-left corner that keeper Artur had no chance of making a save.
Benfica coach Jorge Jesus said he was confident the Lisbon side could reach a first European final for 21 years.
“I believe we are going to the Dublin final. We will be in for a tough game in the second leg but this game also gives us the confidence to go and defend the result in Braga,” he said.
Braga coach Domingos Paciencia, whose team knocked out Liverpool and Dynamo Kiev among others to reach their first European semifinal, was optmistic that his side could overturn the first-leg deficit. “This was not a good result but we know that everything is still up for grabs. In our stadium, in front of our fans it is going to be a different affair,” he said.
“We know it is possible to beat Benfica at home and we have already given them a hard time over there before.”
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LONDON: UEFA fined Rangers 40,000 euros ($59,340) and banned the Glasgow club’s fans from their next away game in Europe for discriminatory chanting in a Europa League match against PSV Eindhoven last month.
European soccer’s ruling body said on its website (www.uefa.com) that Rangers would be “restricted from selling any tickets to its supporters for two away matches in UEFA club competition.”
However, the second match ban was suspended for three years.
UEFA’s control and disciplinary committee also ordered the Scottish club to play their next home European match behind closed doors although that sanction also carried a similar three-year probationary period.
Rangers, who lost 1-0 on aggregate to PSV in the last 16, said in a statement they condemned sectarianism and were considering an appeal.
The club have frequently been in trouble with UEFA over the issue of sectarian and offensive chants and the latest case was the fourth they had faced in five years.
“We are bitterly disappointed our club has been placed in a position where we are subjected to these kind of sanctions by UEFA,” said chief executive Martin Bain.
“We will consider our position when we receive the written reasons for the decision which are expected in a week or so.”
“The club put its own case very forcibly to UEFA and the more draconian sanctions that were recommended by the disciplinary inspector have been mitigated to a degree,” added Bain.
“To be clear we condemn sectarianism and there is no doubt the mindless behaviour of an element of our support has exposed the club to a very serious situation. The people who engage in this type of behaviour are damaging the club they claim to support.”