Champions League draw with Porto

FC Copenhagen kept their hopes of progressing to the Champions League last-16 alive with a hard-fought goalless draw against Porto.

Eric Johansson squandered FCK’s best of a rare bunch of chances when he headed with a Youssef Toutouh cross.

FCK had Robin Olsen to think for keeping them in the game with a fine double save off Andre Silva.

Copenhagen laboured to create chances on a slippery pitch and were forced into some dogged defending to keep the scores level.

But they did enough to retain a chance of making the knockout stage, with a trip to Brugge next month now a crucial final game in Group G.

FCK boss was without strikers Andreas Cornelius and Federico Santander for the clash after both frontman suffered injuries in the lead-up to the clash.

Benjamin Verbic, who played for the Lions up front in a reserve game last Tuesday, took up a starting role alongside Andrija Pavlovic.

Toutouh came in on the left wing to fill the gap vacated by Verbic, with Rasmus Falk on the other flank.

Copenhagen enjoyed the run of the game when the last played in the Champions League - in the 0-0 home draw against Leicester. But Porto set out to press the Lions far more than the English champions, which led to a far roe frantic opening period.

After 20 tense minutes FCK carved out the first opening when Falk fed Peter Ankersen in down the right flank, who found Verbic. But a deflection on the final shot saw the ball spoon out for corner.

Much of the play was going down FCK’s right and it was Ankersen himself who was the first to test Iker Casillas as the right-back drilled in an effort that was well blocked by the Porto goalkeeper.

Johansson then headed wide the best opening of the first half after Toutouh had waltzed past his man on the left wing to centre, while at the other end Diogo Jota pop-shot was all Porto could muster before the break.

Porto came out of the traps in the second half as much as they did in the first and were it not for a magnificent double save from Olsen to deny Silva then the Lions would have been in trouble.

Olsen then matched a Jota effort on the counter attack as Porto upped the tempo in Telia Parken - and minutes later Ståle brought on Kasper Kusk and Jan Gregus to inject to energy into the midfield.

But Copenhagen were second best for the remainder of the game as the visitors chased a goal that would have ensured their progression to the knockout stage in expense of the Lions.

As it was, two shots high over Olsen’s crossbar and an effort blocked by Delaney was all Porto could produce and the game petered out for a draw.

The point apiece means FCK must rely on Leicester either beating or drawing with Porto in the final round of Group G fixtures, while Copenhagen must win in Brugge.

FC COPENHAGEN: 0  PORTO: 0

FC Copenhagen: Olsen, Ankersen, Zanka, Johansson, Augustinsson, Falk, Kvist, Delaney, Toutouh, Verbic, Pavlovic.

Porto: Casillas, Maxi, Felipe, Marcano, Alex Telles, Danilo, Oliver, Otavio, Corona, Diogo Jota, Silva.

Referee: Milorad Mazic (SRB).