EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ — Porto and Palmeiras played out an entertaining goalless draw in the first Club World Cup game at MetLife Stadium on Sunday evening, mimicking the result between Group A rivals Inter Miami and Al Ahly on Saturday.
After a day of one-sided drubbings that saw Bayern Munich thump part-timers Auckland City 10-0 and all-conquering PSG brush aside European giants Atletico Madrid 4-0, Sunday’s evening kick-off at MetLife Stadium was at least evenly-matched, even if it lacked goals.
Both sides had their moments in a tense game in front of a 45,275 crowd at a half-full MetLife Stadium on Sunday evening, with Palmeiras’s vocal support providing the majority of the color and noise throughout a relatively entertaining encounter.
Attendances have been a real concern for FIFA at this newly-expanded Club World Cup, but the large pocket of Brazilian supporters packed behind the goal created a veritable wall of sound and a tournament-like atmosphere throughout.
Palmeiras had by far the better of the opportunities on Sunday night in what was often a scrappy game littered with fouls.
In reality, both Porto and Palmeiras will probably be happy to settle for a point in a group that saw Inter Miami and Egypt’s Al-Ahly share the spoils in another goalless draw on Saturday night. On Saturday night’s showing, neither Porto nor Palmeiras will have too much to fear going forward in the group.
This felt like a match-up between two prodigious 18-year-old attacking talents, with Palmeiras’ Willian Estevao – who is Chelsea-bound at tournament’s end – going up against Porto’s Rodrigo Mora – who entered the Club World Cup on the back of a 10-goal league season in his debut season with the Portuguese giants.
Both came close to opening the scoring in the opening minutes. First, Estevao’s first-time curled effort whistled wide of the post after some loose play from Porto in their own half after five minutes.
Mora came equally close to opening the scoring for Porto on the quarter-hour mark when he collected a smart pass from Samu Omorodion and jinked his way into the Palmeiras penalty area before dragging his effort narrowly wide of the near post.
It would prove to be a stop-start half of few chances often halted by niggly fouls and injury stoppages, however, with the two sides committing a combined 21 fouls in the opening 45 minutes.
Porto came close to opening the scoring on 18 minutes when Martim Fernandes rose highest to flick an Alan Varela freekick goalward, forcing Weverton into a smart save.
Palmeiras , on the other hand, had plenty of possession but rarely looked like breaking down the well-organized Porto defense – until they came to life in the final five minutes of the half.
Estevao looked set to open the scoring when he raced onto a glorious, defense-splitting through-ball from Richard Rios, but Fernandes recovered brilliantly to make a superb block and deflect the shot narrowly wide.
Palmeiras – and Estevao – had an even better chance in first-half injury time. In fact, they had three in the space of 10 seconds.
The first fell to Estevao, who failed to properly connect with a Vitor Roque cutback from just three yards out, giving Claudio Ramos an opportunity to scramble across and claw the ball off the line. Mauricio followed up on the rebound but was also thwarted by Ramos before Rios dummied the ‘keeper with a delightful turn, only to see his close-range effort cleared off the line by Francisco Moura.
Just how Palmeiras failed to score in that chaotic, frenetic sequence remains a mystery, but they might have taken a lead in at the break had Estevao left the initial chance for Rios, who was far better placed to tap home.
Former Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira came close to opening the scoring for Porto just after the break when he cut inside and bent a curling effort toward the bottom corner from just outside the area, but Weverton got down well to parry behind for a corner.
That was about as good as it got for Porto in the encounter as Palmeiras began to take control.
The Brazilian side looked by far the more likely throughout the second half, but struggled to create clear openings until the game entered the closing stages.
Substitute José Manuel Lopez provided an aerial threat when he entered the fray and looked to have won it for Palmeiras when he rose highest to meet an inviting Joaquín Piquerez delivery on 79 minutes, but Iván Marcano got a crucial touch to deflect the effort narrowly wide.
Murilo came even closer five minutes later when he headed a Piquerez corner against the woodwork with Ramos scrambling.
Porto, at this stage, was hanging on and gratefully accepted the final whistle to begin their Club World Cup campaign with a point.
