Brazilian striker Derlei converted a 60th-minute penalty Tuesday as FC Porto edged Deportivo de La Coruna 1-0 to reach the Champions Cup final.
Derlei's goal at Deportivo's Riazor Stadium in the second leg of the semifinals was the only one in the teams' two matches. The win boosted Porto's hopes of becoming only the fifth European team to win the treble of the Champions Cup, domestic league and Cup.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Jose Mourinho's team has already won the Portuguese league title, and plays Benfica in the Portuguese Cup final on May 16.
Porto, which won the trophy in its only previous final appearance in 1987, will play either Monaco or Chelsea in the final in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on May 26. Monaco won the first leg 3-1.
"We played a fantastic match. We played really well from the first minute and were very strong mentally," Mourinho told Canal Plus TV. "We were much the better team and we deserved our victory."
Deportivo, which had Moroccan defender Noureddine Naybet ejected in the 70th minute, was well below its best in a tense clash between the sides from the northwestern corner of the Iberian peninsula and failed in its attempt to reach its first European final.
"It wasn't possible. It's a shame," Deportivo coach Javier Irureta told Canal Plus. "It was a balanced match but perhaps we suffered the absences of two players [suspended Brazilian veteran anchorman Mauro Silva and defender Jorge Andrade].
"The key moments were the penalty and the sending off. We made a titanic effort but we have to congratulate Porto."
Mourinho took a gamble which proved crucial by leaving South African striker Benni McCarthy on the bench and replacing him with Derlei, who has only just recovered after four months out with a cruciate ligament injury.
"Derlei is a very special player. He gave us back what we'd been missing in his absence. His ability to perform in high-pressure games was one of our secrets," Mourinho said.
The Brazilian, who scored twice in Porto's UEFA Cup final victory over Celtic last season, made his first notable contribution to the game when he was felled by Naybet, earning the Moroccan defender his first caution.
The game, which was attended by Spain's King Juan Carlos, at first resembled the gray 0-0 draw in the first leg at Porto's Dragon Stadium, with Portugal midfielder Nuno Maniche's fluffed volley in the 17th minute all the first half hour had to offer.
Both sides appeared nervous and the home team's attempts at mounting attacks were thwarted by Porto's disciplined defense and rugged tackling.
Deportivo then enjoyed a brief period of control and should have taken the lead in the 36th minute when Deportivo midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron spurned his team's only clear chance of the game by sidefooting the ball well wide, with only Porto 'keeper Vitor Baia to beat.
The second half began in dramatic fashion when the diving Derlei headed onto goalkeeper Jose Francisco Molina's right post from a cross by Brazilian-born midfielder Deco. A minute later, central defender Cesar Martin, Andrade's replacement, denied the Brazilian striker as Porto began to create problems for the Deportivo defense.
Cesar soon went from hero to villain when his clumsy challenge brought Deco down just inside the penalty area and Derlei stroked the spot kick past Molina to break the deadlock, which had lasted 150 minutes in the two matches.
Derlei's goal continued Porto's record in the Champions League this season of having scored in every away match, while it was the first Deportivo had conceded at home.
"I think we could have won if it hadn't been for the penalty," Irureta said.
Porto's goal meant Deportivo needed two goals in the last half hour to advance, and Irureta responded by bringing on Spain striker Diego Tristan to bolster his team's underachieving attack.
Five minutes later, Uruguay striker Walter Pandiani glanced a header just wide but Naybet compounded his teams' woes by receiving a second yellow card for a wild tackle on Derlei.
Tristan sent a free kick just wide in the 77th minute but, despite its urgency, Deportivo largely failed to trouble Porto's efficient rearguard and succumbed tamely.
Mourinho, who has been widely tipped to be the replacement for Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri, said after the game he would be attending the other semifinal and his presence at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday will fuel speculation that he is to leave Porto in the summer.
ENGLISH LEAGUE
Arsenal rallied from a goal down to extend its unbeaten league streak to 36 matches Tuesday with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.
Arsenal won the title two weeks ago without loss and is now attempting to finish the 38-match Premier League season the same way -- a feat no team has ever accomplished.
Arsenal has now won 24 and drawn 12 of its 36 matches and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted he was getting nervous. Matches against London rival Fulham and relegated Leicester remain.
"I must say we have had a tough time but the players were not ready to lose tonight," Wenger said. "We want to keep it going and you saw a really determined Arsenal tonight.
"Anything can happen in the game. We have come a long way though and Fulham will be another difficult game."
Lowly Portsmouth looked like ending the streak in the 30th minute when Aiyegbeni Yakubu chipped over advancing Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
Jose Antonio Reyes, who only joined Arsenal in January, equalized in the 50th minute, scoring from a Thierry Henry corner. The Spaniard also hit the bar and sent the ball inches over in a first half that Portsmouth dominated.
Wenger had rested striker Dennis Bergkamp and midfielders Gilberto Silva and Robert Pires for the match.
In the first division both clubs promoted to next season's Premier League -- Norwich and West Bromwich Albion -- lost. West Brom's 4-1 defeat to Stoke handed Norwich the division one title. Norwich lost 1-0 at Sunderland.
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