A late strike from Vincent Aboubakar earned Porto a point in their Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk this evening.
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Taras Stepanenko had fired the visitors in front in the 50th minute, but Porto rallied late in the game to draw level as Aboubakar fired home from distance to rescue a point for his side.
The visitors had an excellent chance to take the lead early in the game when Vyacheslav Shevchuk raided down the left and clipped a ball to the back post where Olexandr Gladkiy was unmarked, but he could not poke the ball past Andres.
Both sides struggled to carve out many clear-cut opportunities in the first half as their deliveries in the final third of the pitch were often poor. Ricardo Quaresma wasted good opportunities to find a teammate in the box when under little pressure out wide.
Quaresma managed to produce quality in the final third when he beat his man down the right and fired a shot at goal, which troubled Andriy Pyatov as he failed to hold the ball and his side were forced to concede a corner. Fortunately for the keeper Shakhtar were then able to clear their lines.
In the second half, the visitors took the lead in the 50th minute as Bernard lifted a corner into the box and Stepanenko rose highest in the penalty area to power a header past Andres.
Kelvin tried to bring his side level minutes later when he powered forward into the box with a driving run and teed up Quaresma on the edge of the box, but the winger couldn't direct his powerful strike on target.
Shakhtar tried to put the game away when they won a free kick just outside the penalty area, and although Douglas Costa's free kick sailed powerfully over the wall, Andres was able to make a comfortable save to keep his side in the match.
Porto came within inches of getting back on level terms when Ricardo pushed forward from his position at right-back to deliver a pinpoint cross into the box, and Bruno Martins Indi headed a powerful effort at goal, which clattered off the crossbar.
Evandro spurned an excellent chance for the home side as he saw his low strike miss the target after he latched onto Quaresma's low cross into the area.
However, Aboubakar rescued Porto late in the game when he picked up the ball on the edge of the area and rifled an effort into the roof of the net.
The forward had one late chance to win the match as he latched on to a cross from Quaresma, but he was unable to beat Pyatov for a second time as the home side settled for a point.
Simon Sinclair
