Sanusi: Nigeria defender lifts Portuguese Super Cup with Porto after win over Tondela

Nigeria defender Zaidu Sanusi is a 2022 Portuguese Super Cup winner with Porto after a 3-0 win over Tondela on Saturday in Aveiro.

The 25-year-old left-back played throughout the game as Porto scored two goals in the first half and one in the second half to lift their 23rd cup. Iranian footballer Medi Taremi registered a brace and Evanilson scored the other goal for the winning side.

Taremi found the back of the net in the 30th minute to open the score for Porto before Evanilson added the second three minutes later.

Taremi recorded his second in the 82nd minute before he was substituted five minutes later, with Gabriel Veron coming on.

Toni Martinez had replaced Evanilson in the 46th minute in what was the first change made by Sanusi’s coach. Wenderson Galeno came on for Marko Grujic and Stephen Eustaquio was brought on in the place of Daniel Loader in two changes that were made in the 70th minute.

Pepe Aquino was withdrawn in the other change that was made in the 87th minute, and Bruno Costa was given some minutes to feature as a result.

On Tondela’s side, four changes were made, and the first saw Rafael Barbosa replace Mohamed Khacef in the 46th minute.

Jota Goncalves was substituted and his place was filled by Matias Lacava in the 80th minute. Six minutes later, Ruben Fonseca entered the pitch and Iker Undabarrena withdrawn. A final change saw Telmo Arcanjo come off and Rodrigo Cascavel come on.

Andres Uribe, Grujic, and Taremi were Porto’s players who were yellow carded in the 60th, 64th, and 87th minutes, respectively, while two were cautioned from Tondela’s side. Khacef received his card in the 37th minute, and Barbosa was cautioned three minutes after the hour mark.

Sanusi has now won three trophies with Porto since he joined them in August 2022.

At the end of the 2021/22 season, the former Santa Clara star won the league title - in fact, he scored the only goal in the 93rd minute against Benfica to seal the club's 30th title in May. 

He also lifted the Portugal Cup (Taca de Portugal), and now the Super Cup before the 2022/23 season begins.

The Super Cup victory for Porto comes after beating Bristol Rovers, Portimonense, Vitoria Guimaraes, and Monaco in their pre-season outings.

After the Saturday victory, Porto will now face Maritimo in their Premier League opening game on August 6 at home, while Tondela will play Nacional in the Segunda Liga on the same day.