The Champions League has been an ordeal for Antwerp so far. The Great Old did take the lead against Porto, but just like against Shakhtar, it all went down after the break. From 1-0 to 1-4: the Tawny Owl has another European trauma.
Antwerp – Porto in a nutshell:
Man of the match: Raiding a masterclass. Evanilson demonstrated this at Porto. The Brazilian attacker was the only – forced – substitute before half-time and turned the game around in the second half with a hat trick.
Key moment: Whether Antwerp had learned its lesson against Shakhtar? Not really. They also came out of the dressing room weakly against Porto and had to concede a goal barely a minute after the break. The harbinger for another punishment in the second half.
Striking: Although Antwerp’s defense is solid in the JPL, it is just as vulnerable in the Champions League. After 11 match days in Belgium, they only conceded 8 goals, in the Champions League the tally increased to 12 after just 3 matches.
Looking ahead to tomorrow? It’s simple: we have to win.
On Tuesday afternoon we had the (elusive) Paul Gheysens on the phone for barely half a minute. The chairman did not have time to thoroughly discuss the situation of his Antwerp – there was a plane waiting – but with that one quote he did set the tone.
It was do or die for the Great Old in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, after a logical loss against Barça and that blow against Shakhtar. Porto at home was the best chance to continue to dream European.
In a lackluster first half with hardly any real chances, but many small mistakes, both teams opted for a conservative approach.
The result: a long prelude to the Bosuil.
Lots of fight, few chances in the first half.
God’s gift
An unexpected highlight came in minute 37.
With a bit of luck, a ball fell at the feet of Alhassan Yusuf – replacement for the injured Keita. Poof! With an unstoppable blast, the Nigerian gave Antwerp the lead just before half time. A godsend.
However, since the tragedy against Shakhtar, they have known at the Great Old: in the Champions League it is not about how the evening starts, but how it ends.
Would Mark van Bommel have reminded his team of that again during half-time? If that were the case, it is actually impossible to explain how the Belgian national champions started the second half.
Less than a minute into the match, the visitors punished Vermeeren’s rare loss of ball – a shot from Evanilson deviated past Butez.
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Sjachtar-scenario
At the Bosuil you could already feel the fear of a repeat of the Shakhtar scenario taking over.
With fear as a bad advisor, Antwerp lost control of the rest of the second half. At first it escaped the 1-2, but with Eustaquio’s next attempt he was successful.
A lead was completely thrown away in just ten minutes. A painful déjà vu.
Alderweireld has also not had any luck this campaign. After his penalty miss two weeks ago, the captain now saw a header for the 2-2 burst onto the crossbar.
On the other side, Evanilson took away all hope twenty minutes before the end by making it 1-3 with a wonderful bang. The Brazilian would complete his hat-trick in the closing minutes.
0 out of 9, 12 goals conceded and mentally very fragile: that is the rock-solid balance for Antwerp after three Champions League matches.
Will the returns bring some improvement soon?
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after, 22 hours 56. END: 1-4. The Champions League has been an ordeal for Antwerp so far. The Great Old did take the lead against Porto, but just like against Shakhtar, it all went down after the break. From 1-0 to 1-4: the Tawny Owl has another European trauma. .
END: 1-4.
The Champions League has been an ordeal for Antwerp so far. The Great Old did take the lead against Porto, but just like against Shakhtar, it all went down after the break. From 1-0 to 1-4: the Tawny Owl has another European trauma.
second half, minute 96 match overYellow card for Toby Alderweireld of Antwerp during second half, minute 90second half, minute 90. Substitution at Antwerp, Gyrano Kerk in, Anthony Valencia outGoal during second half, minute 84 by Evanilson of FC Porto. 1, 4.Antwerp FC Porto end
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second half, minute 83. Substitution at FC Porto, Francisco Conceição in, Pepê outsecond half, minute 83. Substitution at FC Porto, Nico González in, Alan Varela outsecond half, minute 82. Substitution at FC Porto, Marko Grujic in, Stephen Eustáquio out second half, minute 81. Goal Porto: 1-4. Another painful second half for Antwerp. Like a devil out of a box, the inevitable Evanilson appears at the back of the Antwerp defense. The Brazilian attacker sees Butez rushing towards him in no man’s land and dryly tackles the goalkeeper with a measured lob. .
Goal Porto: 1-4
Another painful second half for Antwerp. Like a devil out of a box, the inevitable Evanilson appears at the back of the Antwerp defense. The Brazilian attacker sees Butez rushing towards him in no man’s land and dryly tackles the goalkeeper with a measured lob.
second half, minute 79. Mark van Bommel does not take half measures. Antwerp’s Dutch coach brings Muja, Janssen and Balikwisha to the side. Ejuke, Ilenikhena and Valencia can still try to turn the tide. .
Mark van Bommel does not take half measures. Antwerp’s Dutch coach brings Muja, Janssen and Balikwisha to the side. Ejuke, Ilenikhena and Valencia can still try to turn the tide.
second half, minute 78. Substitution at Antwerp, Chidera Ejuke in, Arbnor Muja outsecond half, minute 78. Substitution at Antwerp, George Ilenikhena in, Vincent Janssen outsecond half, minute 77. Substitution at Antwerp, Anthony Valencia in, Michel Ange Balikwisha outsecond half, minute 76. De Bosuil is resuscitated by two electric shocks from the home team. Wijndal sees his volley fly just past the square and Janssen’s shot also misses the target frame by a few hairs. The harbinger of an Antwerp counter-offensive? .
De Bosuil is resuscitated by two electric shocks from the home team. Wijndal sees his volley fly just past the square and Janssen’s shot also misses the target frame by a few hairs. The harbinger of an Antwerp counter-offensive?
second half, minute 76. Antwerp tries to fight back, but the home team cannot be really dangerous. It thus exposes its Achilles heel again. Both Bataille and Wijndal drop a cross into the large rectangle, but only Vincent Janssen is there. Twice he fails to buckle. .
Antwerp tries to fight back, but the home team cannot be really dangerous. It thus exposes its Achilles heel again. Both Bataille and Wijndal drop a cross into the large rectangle, but only Vincent Janssen is there. Twice he fails to buckle.
second half, minute 73.
Yellow card for Arbnor Muja of Antwerp during second half, minute 72 Goal during second half, minute 69 by Evanilson of FC Porto. 1, 3.Antwerp FC Porto end13
second half, minute 68. Goal Porto: 1-3. From bad to worse for Antwerp. Just when the home team seemed to have found its rhythm again, the Portuguese dealt a heavy blow. Evanilson is again the bogeyman on duty with a scorching volley into the far corner. A bang that goes through the marrow and bone in the Tawny Owl. .
Goal Porto: 1-3
From bad to worse for Antwerp. Just when the home team seemed to have found its rhythm again, the Portuguese dealt a heavy blow. Evanilson is again the bogeyman on duty with a scorching volley into the far corner. A bang that goes through the marrow and bone in the Tawny Owl.
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2023-10-25 23:58:42
#Antwerp #experiences #traumatizing #evening #completely #collapses #Porto #break
