Lively Lisandro revives Porto as lucky Atletico remain in the hunt

ATLETICO MADRID were indebted to Leo Franco for keeping their Champions League hopes alive as the Spanish side claimed a barely-deserved draw against Porto in the first leg of their last-16 tie last night.

Goalkeeper Leo Franco produced a series of crucial blocks and saves to prevent Porto from running riot, most notably in the opening period, to give Atletico a fighting chance of still making the quarter-finals.

Hosts Atletico had led twice in the match — with their second goal coming via an awful mistake by Porto goalkeeper Helton — but they were pegged back by two strikes from the dangerous Lisandro Lopez, who could easily have netted double that number. Leo Franco might have known it was going to be a busy night when he had to make his first intervention inside the opening two minutes after Cristian Rodriguez had been set-up by the hugely impressive Hulk three yards out.