Pietuszewski starts for Porto but club lose again in Champions League

FC Porto lost 1-0 to PSV Eindhoven in a Champions League match. Poland international Oskar Pietuszewski was in the Portuguese side's starting line-up for the first time this season.

Active on the left

The 18-year-old winger is being brought back gradually after an injury that kept him out at the start of the season. He was highly visible from the first minutes: team-mates often looked for him with passes, and the left side of the pitch, where he played, was clearly busier than the rest. Pietuszewski drove boldly at the opposition goal and quickly had three shots, though none was on target.

What the Portuguese media said

The website Bola na Rede called the Pole one of the few positives for Porto in the first half. According to the site, he brought the most energy and determination, taking on the defence of the Dutch champions. The daily A Bola praised his courage in one-on-one situations.

Substituted in the 58th minute

Pietuszewski did not last even a quarter of an hour in the second half. Head coach Francesco Farioli took him off in the 58th minute, one of three players substituted at that point. As Sportowe Fakty notes, one reason may have been caution in managing his workload after his recent injury. The Pole ran a lot, including being the first Porto player to press.

Difficult position in the table

Porto, who have three Poles – Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior and Pietuszewski – have now played three Champions League games this season and lost all three. They are currently 33rd in the table of 36 teams.