Taremi signs off with a goal, steers Porto to cup triumph over Sporting
Iranian striker Mahdi Taremi brought the curtain down on a glorious four years with Porto on Sunday, scoring the winner in extra time during a 2-1 victory over Sporting CP in the Taça de Portugal final.
Set to join Serie A giant Inter once his contract runs out on July 1, Taremi came off the bench in the second half before sending the keeper the wrong way from the spot in the first period of the extra time – an 11th goal of the season for the Iranian, coupled with seven assists in 35 games across all competitions.
Dutch center-back Jerry St. Juste put Sporting in front in the 20th minute, only to see his strike canceled out by Evanilson five minutes later, and then received his marching orders on the half-hour mark.
This was a seventh domestic trophy – including a league and couple double in the 2021/22 campaign – in a Porto shirt for the 31-year-old Iranian, who joined the Dragons from fellow-Portuguese side Rio Ave in 2020 and went on to become the club’s third all-time top scorer with a remarkable 91 strikes in 182 appearances – one goal shy of retired Colombian Jackson Martínez, with Porto’s Brazilian legend Mario Jardel on top with 138 goals.
“I am proud to have spent four years with this group. This is simply unbelievable for me and I will always have fond memories of my incredible time in Porto,” Taremi said after the game.
The newly-finished season was the least prolific for the Iranian, who surpassed the 20-goal mark in each of the previous three seasons – bagging 22 to finish as the leading marksman in the Portuguese top flight last year.
“Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go as I expected this season, as I was involved in the Asian Cup and had to be focused on the national team. I have to apologize to Porto fans for that, although I always gave my all on the pitch, as well as the training sessions,” added the striker, who slipped down the pecking order in the Porto squad after returning from international duty in February amid reports of the him undergoing medicals at Inter ahead of the summer move.
“I am a member of the Super Dragões from today and wish them the best of success with the club,” Taremi said of the ultra group of Porto supporters.