Porto Semifinal: Giménez Ends 46 Day Scoring Drought

Santiago Giménez scored the only goal of the match on Wednesday, sending FC Porto into the semifinals of the Copa de Portugal. The strike ended a 46 day period without a goal for the striker, marking his first tally at the Estadio do Dragão. The victory puts the Portuguese club in position to face the winner of the other semifinal tie between Benfica and Gil Vicente.

Giménez arrived late to the 2025/2026 season, which affected his early integration with the squad. Manager Francesco Farioli had previously advised caution regarding the Mexican forward’s playing time. Farioli noted during a press conference following a Champions League match against Real Betis that the player needed to acquire minutes gradually. Despite this caution, Giménez started the match against the opposition from the opening whistle.

The decisive moment arrived in the 43rd minute of the first half. Referee Sergio Guelho awarded a penalty to Porto after Spanish goalkeeper Juan Soriano failed to clear a dangerous cross into the area. The ball struck the hand of Central African Republic defender Hugo Gambor. Giménez took the kick with composure, waiting for his mark before striking the ball.

He sent the shot low to the right corner, past Soriano, who dove to the left. The goal gave Porto a 1-0 lead that held until the final whistle. This marked Giménez’s first goal in front of the home crowd. His previous goal for Porto had come as a visitor in the Liga de Portugal against Casa Pia, also from the penalty spot.

The forward is now focused on regaining his peak form ahead of the upcoming international window. His performance adds urgency to his bid for a starting spot, particularly with Raúl Jiménez sidelined by injury for the Mexican national team. Porto will now wait for the conclusion of the Benfica versus Gil Vicente match to determine their semifinal opponent.