UEFA Youth League journey ends at Porto

Lightning struck twice as FC Porto eliminated our Under-19s from the UEFA Youth League - a year to the day since doing the same in last season's competition.

Despite lacking a real goal threat in the absence of a handful of front players, we imposed ourselves well in certain areas during the first 45 minutes in Portugal and went close to breaking the deadlock when J'Neil Bennett's low drive was deflected just wide seconds before the break.

But Porto took control of the round of 16 tie at Estádio Luís Filipe Menezes with two goals in five minutes through Angel Torres and Romario Baro shortly after the interval to advance to the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory - the same scoreline by which they won in the last eight back at our Training Centre 12 months ago.

Both sides had only the odd half-chance in a tight first half. Porto front man Fabio Silva saw an effort ruled out for off-side inside six minutes before flashing a low shot just past the far post from inside the box as half-time approached but, generally, centre-backs TJ Eyoma and Brooklyn Lyons-Foster stood firm against the strain of an aggressive press from the hosts whenever they were in our territory.

With recognised strikers Troy Parrott and Rodel Richards on the comeback trail following injury and midfield goal-getter Jack Roles suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards in the tournament, crafty attacking midfielder Dilan Markanday started at the point of our attack, often dropping deep to get on the ball. And it was he who almost had a say in an opening goal on the stroke of half-time as he picked out the unmarked Bennett coming into the box from the left, but his low drive towards the far corner took the slightest of deflections and went fractionally beyond the far post. Attacking midfielder Paris Maghoma had earlier seen a couple of openings disappear as he couldn't connect with a back-post cross and was later pulled up for straying just off-side as he hurled himself in for a header from eight yards out.

We put the pressure on from corners early in the second period but after Joao Mario broke away through the middle and tested goalkeeper Brandon Austin, the hosts took control with two goals in five minutes. Torres found a pocket of space just inside the box and curled home on his left foot on 52 minutes before the normally reliable Eyoma was forced into a mistake by Silva and he squared for Baro to roll into the unguarded net on 57. Austin later denied Silva while substitute Alfonso Sousa was dispossessed amid a scramble in the six-yard box but we were found wanting at the other end and Porto, who won their group in the first phase of the competition, marched on.

Key moment

Two goals in relatively quick succession turned the game in Porto’s favour in the opening exchanges of the second half, but the hosts had a real let-off right before half-time.

Markanday picked out Bennett in space in the box, he got a clean strike away but goalkeeper Diogo Costa got just enough on the ball to tip it past the far post. Had that gone in, the story could have been very different.

Coach’s view

Head of Academy Coaching and Player Development John McDermott said: “Obviously we’ve had to improvise a little bit because of the injuries we’ve got but it’s certainly not an excuse because we have some high-quality attacking midfield players who were having to play a bit higher up the pitch. I thought we had plenty of shots but too many off target so it’s maybe not a lack of firepower, more a lack of being clinical. Against really good opponents like this, that gets exposed.

“I was really pleased with the first half. We started off a bit sluggishly but in the first half we played better than them, we excelled with our movement and midfield work, had chances at critical moments that we didn’t take and in the second half we’re so disappointed to concede two goals in five minutes. After that, the game really opened up and they looked really dangerous. Our boys had a really good spirit, I was pleased with their fight and desire but between the two teams, Porto had players that were more clinical.

“You look at some of the players today and the clever ones will be the ones that dust themselves down, have a look at the game and analyse what the standard is. Some of these boys are still first-year scholars so they’ve got time just to go back and have a look. We were up against a very good team today but there’s an opportunity to individually debrief and examine the areas that we need to polish and to hone.”

Match data

Goals: Porto - Torres 52, Baro 57.

Yellow cards: Porto - Silva 61, Ndiaye 85; Spurs - Eyoma 40.

Referee: Halil Umut Meler (TUR).

Venue: Estádio Luís Filipe Menezes, Porto.

Weather: Sunny, moderate breeze, 13 degrees.