Portuguese Europa League final looks likely after Radamel Falcao's four goals gave FC Porto a 5-1 victory over Villarreal as Benfica secured a 2-1 lead over Braga in the first leg of their semifinal Thursday. Falcao took his Europa League tally this season to 15 with his latest goal burst, while Freddy Guarin added another for Porto, the newly crowned Portuguese champion. Villarreal went in front on the stroke of halftime when Ruben “Cani” Garcia scored for the only non-Portuguese side still in the competition. “We can't kid ourselves the job is done,” Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas said. “We have to keep our feet on the ground. The atmosphere away from home, in a foreign city, will be very different.” The first all-Portuguese semifinal in a European competition saw Jardel and Oscar Cardozo clinch Benfica's win over Braga. But 2011 looks set to belong to Porto. A 13th straight victory in all competitions Thursday put the team closer to capturing three trophies, with a Portuguese Cup final clash with Guimaraes still to come. In a ruthless attacking display Thursday, Falcao scored from the penalty spot, with his left foot, and twice with his head. “He's a fantastic striker but he plays as part of a unit, which give him strength and opportunities,” Villas-Boas said about his standout player. Falcao blasted in a penalty kick after goalkeeper Diego Lopez pulled him down in the area in the 49th minute to equalize. Guarin then the visitors' defense with a strike that hit the post before he headed the rebound into the net. Hulk raced down the right flank to set up the unmarked Falcao in the 67th minute. Falcao's fourth came when he headed in a free kick from Guarin, and he rose up to guide a header over Lopez in the 90th. In Lisbon, the match burst into life after an uneventful first half, with three goals in 10 minutes after the break. Center back Jardel poked the ball in from short range in the 50th minute after Cardozo's header bounced back off the post. Vandinho headed in Braga's equalizer from a free kick three minutes later, but Cardozo found the target with a curling free kick. “It was a good result for us but we deserved to win by a bigger margin,” Benfica coach Jorge Jesus said. “They never really caused us problems.” The second legs are next Thursday. The final is in Dublin on May 18.
