James Rodriguez scored late to give
Porto a 1-0 Champions League win
over Paris Saint-Germain.
The Colombian midfielder picked up a
loose ball on the right flank and hit a
curling a left-foot shot into the far
corner of the net to break the deadlock
in the 83rd minute of a game that
produced few thrills.
The match was the biggest test so far
this season for the big-spending
French club as it squared up to the
two-time European champions, but
Carlo Ancelotti's team played tamely at
Porto's Stadium of the Dragon.
Porto dominated the big-spending
visitors PSG from the start, pressing
high up the pitch and controlled most
of possession.
Porto could have gone ahead earlier
through busy midfielder Joao
Moutinho and Rodriguez, who both
missed several chances.
Moutinho should have scored after
just four minutes but blasted wide with
the goal at his mercy after PSG's
defence gave the ball away cheaply.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, celebrating his 31st
birthday, also had two excellent
chances of his own in the first half,
which he wasted.
The Swede headed wide from
playmaker Nene's cross and after
pulling clear of Porto's back four and
with acres of space, he tried to lob the
keeper with a neat first-touch back heel
but a stretching Helton palmed the ball
behind.
The home side kept pressing in the
second half and winger Varela wasted
an easy chance after 60 minutes,
denied by onrushing PSG keeper
Salvatore Sirigu when put through on
goal from a Moutinho pass.
Porto looked set for a disappointing
stalemate until Rodriguez's
breakthrough gave them a deserved
win over the other group favourites.
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