Home / Sports / Football / Article / Alex Telles takes Porto into quarter-finals of Champions League

Alex Telles takes Porto into quarter-finals of Champions League

Pepe and Edin Dzeko were both booked following a theatrical clash near midfield, a caution that also rules the Portuguese defender out of his side's next match in the competition

Listen to this article :
Porto's Alex Telles (right) celebrates scoring against Roma in the Champions League match on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Porto's Alex Telles (right) celebrates scoring against Roma in the Champions League match on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

Alex Telles converted a VAR-awarded penalty deep into extra time as Porto defeated Roma 3-1 on Wednesday to reach the Champions League quarter-finals following a tense 4-3 win on aggregate. Francisco Soares nudged Porto ahead with a simple tap-in on 26 minutes, but Daniele De Rossi equalised from the spot before half-time after Eder Militao chopped down Diego Perotti. Moussa Marega restored the lead on the night for Porto early in the second half to level the tie as he struck in his sixth successive appearance in Europe. An additional half-hour was required to settle an encounter that looked to be heading for a shootout before Telles tucked home from the spot on 117 minutes after a tug on Fernando by Alessandro Florenzi was spotted upon review.

"It was not just me that scored the penalty, it was the whole team. The Dragao, the full stadium, made me feel at ease. It was a very good energy," said Telles. "We've got to accept it, even if the way it happened is terrible to accept," Roma captain De Rossi told Sky Sport Italia. Porto coach Sergio Conceicao, a former player at Roma's city rivals Lazio, had expressed the need for patience as his side set about attempting to retrieve a 2-1 deficit. Yet they threatened twice inside the opening 10 minutes at the Estadio do Dragao as Jesus Corona hammered a volley narrowly over, with Telles lashing into the side-netting from a tough angle. Corona again tried his luck from range, his shot again dipping over the top, and the Mexico winger was once more involved as Soares poked in the opening goal. Marega, back in the side after missing the first leg with a thigh injury, pinched the ball from Kostas Manolas and was then picked out by Corona on the overlap to square for Soares to slot home. Porto's lead lasted barely 10 minutes as Militao lunged in on Argentine Perotti, with De Rossi coolly rolling his penalty past three-time Champions League winner Iker Casillas.

Read Next Story
Lionel Messi back in Argentina squad after eight-month absence

Trending Stories

Latest Photoscta-pos

Latest VideosView All

Latest Web StoriesView All

Mid-Day FastView All

Advertisement