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Porto beat Bayern 3-1 in quarter-final first leg, German side's first ever loss in Portugal

15 April 2015 22:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. FC Porto are within sight of reaching the UEFA Champions League last four for the first time since 2003/04 after a 3-1 defeat of FC Bayern München in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, APA reports quoting uefa.com.

Bayern, eyeing a fourth straight appearance in the semis, had not lost in 11 previous fixtures in Portugal but were on the back foot throughout at the Estádio do Dragão. Ricardo Quaresma took his tally to five in his last three games with two efforts before Thiago Alcántara gave the visitors a foothold with his first UEFA Champions League goal. Jackson Martínez, though, restored Porto's two-goal cushion to leave Bayern – shorn of key players including Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribéry through injury – facing an uphill struggle.

Though Julen Lopetegui had called for "ambition" from his side, even he could not have envisaged such early get-up-and-go. Indeed it was Bayern who enjoyed two-thirds of first-half possession but, unusually for a Josep Guardiola side, such superiority was more detrimental than beneficial. Xabi Alonso was first to fall foul of the hosts' high pressing, surrendering the ball to Martínez – making his first appearance since 6 March – inside two minutes. The Colombia forward was felled by Manuel Neuer and Quaresma made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Robert Lewandowski headed over with Bayern's first clear chance, but Porto were soon two to the good. Quaresma – perhaps only starting due to Cristian Tello's injury – was the harasser this time, pilfering possession from Dante before racing clear and poking past Neuer.

Guardiola's charges halved their deficit on 28 minutes, however, Thiago – up against Julen Lopetegui,under whom he won the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship – turning in at the back post having been picked out by Jérôme Boateng's low cross from the right. Alex Sandro then struck the bar with a mishit cross, and Casemiro headed over, but half-time marked only temporary respite for Bayern.

Neuer had already been forced to show characteristically splendid reactions to tip over from Boateng's inadvertently goalbound effort by the time he was beaten once more midway through the second half. The German international goalkeeper could once again feel aggrieved with Boateng, who failed to head clear a long and hopeful ball forward which Martínez killed magnificently before negotiating Neuer and passing into the net.