Porto have booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals in style after beating Basel 4-0 in the second leg of their last-16 tie this evening, securing a 5-1 aggregate victory.
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Porto saw the majority of the possession in the opening 10 minutes, and were ahead less than quarter of an hour in when Yacine Brahimi fired a free kick in from 20 yards out, leaving the keeper rooted to the spot.
Casemiro came close to doubling the advantage for the hosts just a few minutes later when he saw the keeper off his line, but his finish was just high.
There were worrying scenes for the Portuguese side midway through the first half though, as Danilo was forced off in a neck brace as the result of a collision with teammate Fabiano.
Chances in the opening 45 minutes were scarce for the visitors, but Marco Streller fired just over, while Derlis Gonzalez finally forced a save from Fabiano with a long-range effort shortly before half time.
Vincent Aboubakar came close to adding a second as he volleyed the ball towards goal, while a dangerous-looking cross from Cristian Tello was scrambled clear by the Basel defence just before the break.
Porto did not need long in the second half to find a second as Hector Herrera fired in a second less than two minutes after the restart, picking out the top corner from the edge of the box after Brahimi pulled the ball back to him.
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The home side's dominance continued as they made it three just before the hour mark. Porto scored from another free kick, with Casemiro stepping up this time to blast it in with a powerful drive from 30 yards out.
Knowing that three away goals would still send them through, Basel tried to reduce the deficit on the hour mark. Luca Zuffi attempted to fire home from a Shkelzen Gashi cross, but Fabiano got down low to make the save.
Porto ended the Swiss side's faint hopes of a comeback with 15 minutes to go though as Aboubakar won the ball in midfield before sprinting to the edge of the area and unleashing a powerful strike into the top corner.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men late on as Walter Samuel picked up a second yellow for a needless foul on Aboubakar, shortly after Streller had come close to adding a late consolation for Basel.
Sian Cowper
