Porto achieved today its second title of the season after the league, the Portuguese Cup, thanks to the Congolese Mbemba's double, savior of a team that was left in the first half with 10 after two recklessness of the Colombian Luis Díaz but ended up beating Benfica by 2-1.
Benfica and Porto starred in the Cup duel in an empty stadium due to a coronavirus that amplified the coaches' orders and the oaths and expletives of those involved in the frustrations of the first half.
If Porto entered the game better, exhibiting fast offensives and having the best chance of the first half hour, with a shot from Corona that forced Vlachodimos to show off, Benfica was effective in balancing the balance, taking in the process of madness to the rival.
The best test was the Colombian Luis Díaz, who saw two yellow for fouls on André Almeida, the second of them with a blow to the leg so reckless that he did not leave the referee.
The “dragons” stayed at 38 with ten on the field and their coach, Sérgio Conceição, in a state of total irritation, which started with Díaz's first yellow card.
His complaints after the player's expulsion ended in his own departure: Artur Dias got the red out of him in 43, tired of his protests.
Mbemba rose as a hero already in the 47th, with a header facilitated by a bad start from Vlachodimos, unleashing the Blue and White joy.
The Congolese confirmed the state of grace in 59, with set pieces again, and Porto relaxed the game thereafter, recreating himself and looking to pass the time.
They were already celebrating the title when Diogo Leite committed a foul on Rafa that turned into a penalty in favor of Benfica in 83.
Vinícius converted it into a goal a minute later, thus unleashing a desperate race in the last minutes to get the tie and force the overtime, something that Jota almost did in 90, but it could not be.
1 – Benfica: Vlachodimos, André Almeida, Rúben, Jardel and Nuno Tavares; Pizzi (m.76, Jota), Weigl (m.61, Carlos Vinícius), Gabriel and Cervi; Chiquinho (m.62, Taarabt) and Seferovic (m.76, Dyego Sousa).
2 – Porto: Diogo Costa; Manafá, Pepe, Mbemba and Alex Telles; Corona (m.80, Sérgio Oliveira), Danilo, Uribe (m.88, Loum) and Luis Díaz; Otávio (m.73, Diogo Leite) and Marega.
Goals: 0-1, m.47: Mbemba; 0-2, m.57: Mbemba. 1-2, m.84: carlos Vinicius, from a penalty.
Referee: Artur Soares Dias. He admonished Luis Díaz (m.9 and m.38) and Alex Telles (m.90), from Porto, and Rúben Dias (m.12), Jardel (m.44), Weigl (m.46) and Carlos Vinícius (m.75) from Benfica.
Incidents: Final of the 80th edition of the Portuguese Cup played at the Cidade de Coimbra Stadium, in Coimbra.