7 April 2011
Spanish side Villarreal and Portuguese giants FC Porto put their Europa League-winning credentials on show with 5-1 wins apiece in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Three Portuguese sides — Porto, Benfica and Sporting Braga — are among the last eight of Europe’s second tier club competition, boosting the chances of an all-Portuguese final at the Dublin Arena on May 18.
While 2004 Champions League winners Porto impressed with a 5-1 crushing of Spartak Moscow, Madrid-based Villarreal were just as impressive on their way to the exact same scoreline against hapless Dutch side FC Twente.
Another Dutch side, PSV Eindhoven, were on the wrong side of a 3-1 defeat in Lisbon against Benfica while Sporting Braga did well to come away with a 1-1 draw during their visit to
All three Portuguese sides are now perfectly placed to qualify for the last four following the second leg of the quarter-finals on April 14.
2010 AFP
