Palmeiras and Porto battled to a goalless draw in their opening Group A fixture of the Club World Cup at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, with Porto's reserve goalkeeper Claudio Ramos stealing the spotlight.
Deputising for injured captain Diego Costa, Ramos made a series of remarkable saves to keep the Brazilian side at bay despite Palmeiras dominating possession and creating the bulk of chances. The result leaves Group A wide open, following another 0-0 draw between Inter Miami and Al Ahly on Saturday.
Ramos' heroics came at crucial moments, none more impressive than a triple-save sequence during first-half stoppage time, denying Estevao, Mauricio, and then Richard Rios, whose effort was finally cleared off the line.
His composure and reflexes kept Porto in the game, as Palmeiras pressed forward with urgency, especially in the closing minutes when Murilo's header came off the post. Manager Abel Ferreira acknowledged his team’s dominance but expressed disappointment at their missed chances, praising Ramos’ performance for denying what seemed certain goals.
Porto struggled to assert consistent attacking pressure but nearly capitalised on a Palmeiras defensive lapse midway through the first half. A misjudged header from Felipe Anderson was almost turned into his own net, only for Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton to react swiftly and tip the ball away with a one-handed save. Porto’s offensive strategy revolved around aerial balls to striker Samu Aghehowa, but they rarely troubled the Palmeiras defence.
Palmeiras, boasting attacking talent such as Vitor Roque and Estevao—both soon to move to the Premier League—looked sharp in transitions and link-up play but lacked the final touch. With all four teams in Group A tied on one point apiece, the pressure now builds for the second round of matches on Thursday. Palmeiras will look to convert their dominance into goals against Al Ahly, while Porto aim to build on this resilient performance when they face Inter Miami.
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