Notes, highlights and more: tactical analysis of Palmeiras 🆚 Porto | OneFootball

In a decisive tactical clash in the first round of Group A of the FIFA Club World Cup, Palmeiras and FC Porto ended in a 0-0 draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The match had a good pace, clear chances, and solid positioning, with the defensive performances of both sides standing out.

🔍 Tactical Analysis and Individual Performance

Tactics: Abel Ferreira bet on midfield compactness and transitions with Estêvão and Vitor Roque, valuing counterattacks. Meanwhile, Martín Anselmi opted for a flexible 4-2-3-1, looking for gaps between the Palmeiras lines. The midfield duel was balanced, with both teams respecting strong marking and exploring switches of play.

Defenses: Weverton made safe saves, especially on headers, while young substitute Samuel Portugal came on for the injured Diogo Costa and showed composure.

Palmeiras Attack: Estêvão made good plays, although he missed passes and shots — highlights include the well-worked moves with Ríos and Maurício in sequence, but they were stopped by the goalkeeper or the defense. Ríos and Maurício alternated between good initiatives and rushed decisions.

FC Porto: Rodrigo Mora and Samu showed mobility, but ran into Palmeiras’ defensive block, failing to produce effective finishes.

Individual ratings (average based on various sources):

Cláudio Ramos (Porto): 7.5 – calm performance in his debut. Made good saves.

Weverton (Palmeiras): 7.0 – solid in decisive saves.

Estêvão (Palmeiras): 7.0 – creative, but not very effective in front of goal.

Rodrigo Mora (Porto): 6.5 – good dynamism, but lacked finishing in chances.

Vitor Roque (Palmeiras): 6.0 – played as a target man, but did not get close to goal.

📋 Positive Points

Organized defensive posture: Both teams showed compactness and competitive spirit until the final whistle.

Young standouts: Estêvão and Mora had flashes of quality, showing the ability to break through opposing lines.

⚠️ Negative Points

Offensive inefficiency: The blackout in front of goal – such as the consecutive misses by Estêvão, Maurício, and Ríos – exposed Palmeiras’ lack of offensive objectivity.

Irregular pitch: Both coaches complained about adapting to the MetLife Stadium surface, which affected the passing and rhythm of the game.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 FRANCK FIFE - AFP or licensors