Doha: Aspire International qualified for the last eight of the Al Kass International Cup as Group B winners after a 2-0 victory over FC Porto.
Following their 6-2 loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday, the Portuguese outfit started the game knowing that they needed to win by a five-goal margin to reach the knockout stages.
Yet such a scoreline never looked likely, particularly with influential midfielder Madiu Bari suspended following his red card against Real. Making two changes to his side, Da Silva opted for Joao Almeida to replace Bari and granted Leandro Vieira his tournament debut.
Aspire International fans had plenty to shout about as their team quickly settled into a rhythm, creating the game’s first goalscoring opportunity on 13 minutes.
Drilling a long ball forward from his own half, defender Issa Traore picked out tricky Ghanian Alasana Manneh at the edge of the Porto area. Cutting inside, Manneh crossed to find Ishmael Baidoo, who hit the post with a deft volleyed effort.
With challenges flying in all over the pitch, the game became stop-start until the half hour mark when Aspire again hit the woodwork, with Tanzanian Orgeness Mollel rising to head against the bar.
Finally, in the dying seconds of the first half, Aspire were rewarded for their dominant first half display when an attractive three-player move paid dividends. Skipping past two challenges, Manneh found Luboyera on the edge of the box, whose first touch pass put Funsho Bamgboye in the clear to fire low past Porto keeper Tiago Martins.
Aspire pressed forward, finding their second goal in the 56th minute. Having motored down the left flank, Azake Luboyera crossed accurately into the box where Bamgboye was waiting to powerfully head his second of the game. The Peninsula
