Porto U18 3-2 Fulham U18

Fulham Under-18s put in an impressive performance despite a 3-2 defeat against FC Porto on our final day in Portugal. In a game that we started quickly, Bashil Lubega opened the scoring with an instinctive finish inside the box. There was a great deal of misfortune about the equaliser as Callum Cliff put the ball in his own net, but our Young Whites didn’t let it affect them, as Harley Platel scored shortly after the restart. Despite an abundance of chances in the second period, it was Porto who were more clinical as two late goals swung the tie. Our lads piled the pressure on in the early stages, pressing high up the pitch, and an early Markuss Gomins sighter was a sign of things to come. The opener arrived after just 11 minutes. Lubega started and completed the move, spreading the ball wide to Tarrell Cavell, who drove into the box, and while there was some good fortune about how the ball eventually bounced into Lubega’s path, he arrowed a powerful strike into the corner. Our next chance came from a set-piece as Cliff arrived late at the far post to nod over a Platel corner. The momentum slowly swung, but Oliver Mayer wasn’t tested until deep into the half. A strong right hand from the goalkeeper was enough to tip a dipping free-kick over the bar. There wasn’t much Cliff could do as he put the ball into the back of his own net after 40 minutes. A fizzed cross from the right flashed right across the six-yard box, with the defender’s touch giving Porto a route back into the game. Mayer’s next save was with his feet as Porto struck on the counter, but the outstretched left leg of our goalkeeper denied the Portuguese side. Almost immediately after the restart, Ali Melloul’s side regained the lead. Cavell’s low cross was met by his opposite winger, as Platel arrived right on cue to finish with aplomb. A big defensive effort was required as we tried to see out the win as Quinn Schutter made a vital sliding challenge in his own box, while Damian Cech showed safe hands to keep out a header. However, Porto equalised for the second time when the ball was squeezed past Cech at his near post. The winning goal was sandwiched between two Brodie Dair chances as he tested the goalkeeper with a free-kick and bicycle kick, but it was Porto who pounced to win it late on, punishing a defensive mix up. Even then, stoppage-time chances arrived at the heads of Cliff and Cavell, but our U18s fell to a harsh defeat on what was ultimately another useful pre-season exercise in Portugal. Mayer (Cech 45’); Benchaita (Faux 45’), Cooke (Schutter 17’) (Benchaita 75’), Cliff, Hall (Morrison 60’); Gomins (Khan 45’), De-Gale (Gomins 75’), Cavell, Platel (Batra 75’); Lubega (Dair 60’), Batra (Evans 45’).