The FC Porto Taça da Liga campaign took a major step forward on Wednesday night at the Estádio do Dragão. Head coach Francesco Farioli rotated his lineup and secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Académico de Viseu.
Mexican international striker Santiago Giménez scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot right before half-time. The narrow victory earned Porto a place in the competition’s final four alongside Sporting CP.
The triumph keeps Porto flawless across domestic competitions this season. The Dragons lead the Portuguese Primeira Liga with nine wins from nine matches and have now carried that winning form into cup action.
Giménez Delivers from the Spot Before the Break
Porto dominated possession in the first half but met strong resistance from a compact Académico defense. Visiting goalkeeper Juan Soriano made multiple sharp saves to frustrate the hosts.
The decisive breakthrough came in the 45th minute. The referee awarded Porto a penalty after contact in the box, and Giménez stepped up to slot his spot-kick past Soriano into the net.
The goal gave Porto a deserved lead heading into the dressing room. It also marked another key contribution from Giménez, who led the line with pace and physical presence.
Resolute Defending and Late Saves Secure Qualification
Académico de Viseu refused to sit back in the second half. Emboldened by their weekend league upset against Sporting, the visitors pushed forward in search of an equalizer.
Their best chance fell to forward André Clóvis in the 65th minute after a loose turnover. Clóvis broke free on goal, but Porto goalkeeper Cláudio Ramos made a point-blank save to protect the lead.
Soriano stayed busy at the other end, denying second-half efforts from Martim Fernandes and young substitute Gabriel Mec. Porto managed the closing minutes with maturity despite five minutes of added stoppage time.
Squad Rotation and Domestic Momentum
Farioli used the cup tie to test the depth of his squad amid a packed autumn fixture list. Veteran English defender Chris Smalling made a start in central defense before coming off in the second half.
Midfielder Pablo Rosario also featured off the bench, giving regular starters valuable rest ahead of upcoming domestic fixtures. Porto’s defense held firm, preserving their clean sheet and handling late aerial pressure.
With qualification secured, Porto join Sporting CP in the semi-finals, which take place in January. The remaining two spots will be decided on Thursday when Benfica face Gil Vicente and Braga host Famalicão.
Porto now switch their attention back to the league, where they host Estoril Praia on Saturday night seeking to extend their flawless start at the top of the table.
