Sunderland U23 0-5 Porto
Attendance: 18, 317
Sunderland’s hopes of lifting their first Premier League International Cup crown were crushed by a Porto masterclass at the Stadium of Light.
With record high in attendance in the competition watching on, the stage was set for the under-23s’ showcase final after a season’s worth of hard work saw them deservedly face European giants Porto for the trophy.
But with just five minutes on the clock, Porto began engraving their name into the trophy as Galeno exquisitely bent the ball past Max Stryjek and into the far corner.
Joris Kayembe was then denied from the penalty spot on 27 minutes but it didn’t affect the outcome of the match as Porto merely went from strength to strength after that.
Galeno netted his second eight minutes later when he peeled off his man to fire home centre of goal before Andre Pereira added a third on the stroke of half-time to deal Sunderland the ultimate blow.
Porto continued to romp through the gears in the second period and netted a further two goals inside 10 minutes of the restart. Kayembe firstly arrowed his strike into the corner and then Chidozie Awaziem planted a looping header over Stryjek and into the corner.
Porto run out worthy winners.
Elliott Dickman selected a strong starting XI which included first-team faces Lynden Gooch and Donald Love. Meanwhile, Andrew Nelson featured among the substitutes after recovery from a 12 week lay-off.
“Have no regrets” was the message Dickman hollered to his players leading up to kick-off, and he would’ve been pleased with the opening exchanges as his side forced Porto back.
Rees Greenwood broke over the halfway line and threaded a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Ethan Robson who galloped past him into the left-hand channel.
Robson strode onto the ball but couldn’t keep his effort down as it flashed high over Raul Gudino’s goal.
But Porto’s response was infectious and with just six minutes on the clock they took the lead.
Galeno, score of Porto’s all-important goal which sent them into the final, sneaked in behind Josh Robson, held off Love and then bent his right-footed shot beyond Stryjek and into the far corner.
The skill, vision and balance of Fede Varela in the middle of the park helped the visitors take full control after that. His weaving runs and tight control saw him drive at the Black Cats’ defence from midfield, leaving Elliot Embleton and Ethan Robson chasing his shadow.
Greenwood, though, provided hope for the Lads as he came off the left side with vengeance, looking to force the issue and make something happen for the Lads.
The intricate winger soared inside but like Robson failed to hit the target before a neat one-two with Hume sent the full-back racing into the box.
A quick glance up from Hume spotted the run of Joel Asoro towards the near post but Gudino was wise to the situation and dealt with the danger.
With 27 minutes on the clock, a surging run from Galeno saw him go to ground under the challenge of Love and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Joris Kayembe stepped up but Stryjek, just as he did in the semi-final at Norwich City, guessed the right way and dived to his left to deny Porto doubling their lead.
The Polish stopper’s save was greeted with a Roker-esque roar with erupted around the Stadium of Light, and that seemed to spur the Lads on as Embleton’s strike from range looped into the air forcing Gudino into action.
But the Portuguese class came through before half-time, two goals in the final 10 minutes of the opening 45 saw Porto place a firm hand on the trophy.
Denver Hume’s yellow card for a trip on Kayembe saw Porto focus their attentions on wounding Sunderland further down that side.
And their efforts paid dividends as a free-flowing move down the right was pulled back into the path of the prolific Galeno to net his second of the evening.
Porto weren’t done there, though, and seconds before the half-time whistle another right flank attack broke Sunderland’s resolve for the visitors with Pereira well placed to tap home at the back post.
The visitors picked up where they left off after the break, swiftly adding to the emphatic scoreline to make it 5-0.
Kayembe dusted himself down after missing his first-half penalty and found the corner on 51 minutes. Awaziem then planted his header beyond Stryjek from a floated free-kick four minutes later to leave the Stadium of Light crowd stunned.
Credit to Sunderland who continued to plug away, Asoro weaved inside and out in an attempt to summon an attack. The Swede twisted this way and that as he kept the ball on a piece of string, waltzing past Fernando Fonseca and then standing the ball up at the back stick for Luke Molyneux to leather marginally over.
But Porto’s damage was done in the first period, and the Portuguese club close the game out to win their first International Cup crown.
Sunderland: Stryjek, J Robson, Love, Beadling, Hume, Gooch (Gamble, 76), Embleton, E Robson (Molyneux, 45), Greenwood (Nelson), Maja, Asoro
Subs: Brotherton, Talbot, Wright, Casey
Porto: Gudino, Awaziem, Kayembe (Verdasca, 76), Santos, Ramos, Fonseca, Moreira, Govea, Varela, Galeno, Pereira (Diaz, 69)
Subs: Silva, Graca, Pires, Musa, Djim