Wins for Porto and Atlético, Leverkusen plays draw

FC Porto and Atlético Madrid both scored smooth victories this weekend. Porto easily brushed aside Chaves at home 3-0, while Atlético Madrid knocked off Celta de Vigo by generous 4-1 figures. Bayer Leverkusen on the other hand stuck to a 2-2 draw at Hertha BSC.

FC Porto - Chaves 3-0

FC Porto had an excellent dress rehearsal for Tuesday's match against Club Brugge. It easily won 3-0 against Chaves on its own field. Mehdi Taremi gave Sergio Conceiçao's team an early lead. Porto continued to push, but the visiting goalkeeper managed to limit the damage. On the stroke of halftime, Chaves also threatened, but a long-distance shot went inches wide. After the break the visitors were able to hold out for a long time, but twenty minutes before time the final decision fell. Taremi intercepted the ball and served it to substitute Evanilson, who scored the 2-0 into an empty goal. In the closing stages of the game it became 3-0 when a cross from André Franco ricocheted into the goal. FC Porto thus start the season with 15 out of 18 and are second to three points from the unapproachable leader Benfica. (SF)

FC Porto: Costa, Carmo, Wendell, Cardoso, Mario (60' Franco), Eustaquio, Uribe, Galeno (75' Veron), Pepe (83' Conceiçao), Taremi (83' Borges), Martinez (60' Evanilson).
Goals: 3' Taremi (1-0), 70' Evanilson (2-0), 82' Franco (3-0).

Atlético Madrid - Celta de Vigo 4-1

After a win in injury time against Porto, the Madrilenians got to visit Celta De Vigo. Simeone also chose to rest some players. Thus, Koke, Joao Felix and Saul started on the bench. Nevertheless, it was a smooth 4-1 victory at home.

It became a match that never really was one. From the start, Atlético grabbed the visitors from Vigo by the throat, with an early opening goal from Correa after an excellent cross from De Paul. The home side pushed on, but additional goals against an attackingly impotent Celta de Vigo were no more before the break.

After the coffee, the Madrilenians were better on target! De Paul doubled the lead with a deflected shot, but it was Carrasco who signed for the goal of the evening. After a quick counterattack, he rounded off a long run with an excellent shot. Suddenly Celta de Vigo came on anyway, resulting in a goal. Veiga knocked goalkeeper Grbic, filling in for the injured Oblak, into the short corner. A real comeback was out of the question. However, Atlético was able to record a fourth when Nunez worked a shot by substitute Cunha into his own goal. (KV)

Atlético: Grbic, Molina, Witsel, Hermoso, Mandava, Carrasco (85' Saul), De Paul (76' Cunha), Kondogbia, Lemar (46' Koke), Correa (63' Joao Felix), Morata (63' Griezmann).
Goals: 9' Correa (1-0), 50' De Paul (2-0), 66' Carrasco (3-0), 71' Veiga (3-1), 81' Nunez (4-1).

Hertha BSC - Bayer Leverkusen 2-2

Bayer Leverkusen, where Kossounou started on the bench and was allowed to stand in for the last quarter of an hour, did not get beyond a draw on the Hertha BSC pitch in their own league. As a result, Leverkusen is currently in penultimate place in the Bundesliga with 4 points from 6 games.

During the first half, however, there were some opportunities for Bayer Leverkusen, but they did not score. Hertha BSC also had some chances but goalkeeper Hradecky stood firm, keeping the score 0-0 at halftime. After the break, both teams did get the nets shaking. Demirbay opened the scoring just after the break, curling a free kick beautifully into the top corner. Hertha BSC came alongside again through a goal by Serdar on a pass from Ejuke. Moments later, Schick missed the opportunity to put Leverkusen back in the lead, but his chance went just wide. Leverkusen even got behind after Richter kicked the ball for Hradecky with a beautiful blast. Hertha BSC's lead was not on the board for long, however: Schick brought Leverkusen alongside again after all. 2-2 was immediately also the final score. Bayer Leverkusen, however, gained nothing from this and ended up in the lower regions of the Bundesliga. (EV)

Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Frimpong (76' Kossounou), Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie, Palacios (41' Aranguiz), Demirbay (76' Azmoun), Diaby, Hlozek (66' Amiri), Hudson-Odoi (76' Andrich), Schick.
Goals: 49' Demirbay (0-1), 55' Serdar (1-1), 74' Richter (2-1), 79' Schick (2-2).