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Porto 1-1 APOEL Nicosia: Hulk free-kick, Ailton great-strike
APOEL Nicosia earned a deserved point in Champions League Group G after a 1-1 draw against two-times European champions Porto at the Estadio do Dragao.
APOEL went into the game as surprise leaders of the group after the first two rounds of matches. And it is a position they remain in after the impressive Ailton cancelled out Hulk’s opener for Porto.
The Game
The first moment of note in the game came on seven minutes, Dionissis Chiotis diving bravely at the feet of Kleber as the Porto man tried to reach a through pass.
In the 11th minute, Chiotis made a good save to keep out Kleber's half-volley. From the resulting corner, the keeper flapped at the cross and the ball was cleared from close to the goalline.
Chiotis was again at fault two minutes later as the hosts went in front. Porto won a free-kick 30 yards out wide on the right. Hulk took the free-kick and went for goal, with his effort bouncing up in front of Chiotis and in. It was an outrageous effort by Hulk but the goalkeeper should have done better.
APOEL were back on level terms five minutes later with their first shot on goal. It came out of nothing, Ailton letting fly from the edge of the box and leaving goalkeeper Helton with little chance of keeping it out.
On the half-hour mark, Marcelo Oliveira headed a good chance wide after meeting Gustavo Manduca's free-kick, while at the other end, James Rodriguez tried to sneak one in at the near post, but Chiotis palmed it out for a corner.
APOEL made a change shortly after the restart, with goalkeeper Chiotis, troubled by an injury sustained in an earlier collision, being replaced by Rafael Urko.
Hulk fizzed a left-footed shot just wide on 56 minutes after cutting in from the right, before the visitors squandered a great opportunity to go in front. Nuno Morais stole the ball from Nicolas Otamendi and raced clear, before seeing his shot saved by Helton at his near post.
Hulk saw a couple more efforts go just wide, while APOEL could even have won it late on, but substitute Aldo Adorno saw his effort blocked by the feet of Helton.
Tom Harvey / Eurosport
Source: Eurosport
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