FC Porto vs. Basel: Score, Grades and Reaction from Champions League Match

Porto cantered to a 4-0 win against Basel on Tuesday evening, sealing a 5-1 aggregate victory in their round-of-16 collision and booking a place in this season's Champions League quarter-finals.    

Goals from Yacine Brahimi, Hector Herrera, Casemiro and Vincent Aboubakar gave the Dragons a more comfortable result than their unfortunate 1-1 draw in Switzerland last month. Sky Sports Champions League confirmed the result:

Porto began their second-leg assault in much the same vein that they ended the first leg, controlling the tempo in midfield mainly through the fine work of Herrera and Casemiro.

And it would only take attacking dynamo Brahimi 14 minutes to open the scoring, with John Bennett of the BBC noting Basel's roughhouse tactics in attempting to stop his forays forward:

The Algerian international was always bound to have a pivotal responsibility in leading Porto's line in the absence of the injured Jackson Martinez, but it was in the engine room the hosts found their greatest strength.

Porto did suffer an early setback, however, when goalkeeper Fabiano collided with captain Danilo, who had to be stretchered off after being knocked unconscious, per the official Champions League Twitter account:

As the game progressed, the foul rate started to really mount on behalf of the visitors, but the more Basel attempted to weave their way back into the game, the tighter Porto's grip became.

Somehow, the Swiss giants managed to make it to half-time with the score still at 1-0, losing 2-1 on aggregate, with Squawka showing just how poorly they fared in terms of making their own impression in Portugal:

However, Mexican international Herrera quickly saw to it that any Basel hope was doused just two minutes into the second period.

His 47th-minute strike meant Basel needed two goals to qualify for the last eight, but Herrera's goal was just one component of an otherwise terrific display:

He was joined by on-loan midfielder Casemiro on the scoresheet not 10 minutes later, the Brazilian striking a superb free-kick from 30 metres out to put the result beyond any shadow of a doubt.

And with just 14 minutes remaining, Aboubakar did his part to assure fans another striker apart from Martinez is capable of leading the Dragons' line:

This win ensures Porto will take part in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in six years, but Julen Lopetegui will know his side will face much sterner examinations in the last eight.

The 5-1 rout of Basel will undoubtedly give the Primeira Liga giants a dramatic boost in confidence heading into the quarters, however, and they'll need every bit of it for the tests coming their way.

Player Grades

Casemiro: A+

In short, the Real Madrid midfielder ran the show for Porto on Tuesday evening, and his expertly struck set piece was just a brief flash of brilliance among 90 minutes of near perfection.

Bleacher Report's Jerrard Peters even suggests Los Merengues may need a player of Casemiro's skill set back at the Bernabeu, perhaps sticking around next season once his Porto loan expires:

To showcase just what a rounded asset the midfielder is, Casemiro also won eight tackles and six aerial duels to go along with his 80 percent pass completion rate.

Walter Samuel: D-

A second yellow card for Walter Samuel in extra time put the nail in Basel's coffin, but the 36-year-old's day looked grim long before he was handed his marching orders.

Samuel committed four fouls, more than any other player on the night, and failed to make even a single tackle, leading ESPN's Nick Dorrington to suggest this could be the end of his career:

Yacine Brahimi: A-

Playing the role of both constructor and finisher isn't a role every player takes on with ease, but Brahimi once again shone in both capacities for Porto on Tuesday.

Per WhoScored.com, the Algerian continues to lead the Dragons in attack this season and has been an inspired source of goals, once again bringing a touch of class to the forward line against Basel: 

Post-Match Reaction

As impressive as the Porto goal rout was on Tuesday evening, what also struck as superbly entertaining was the quality of each finish, from Brahimi and Casemiro's set piece finishes to Herrera's sweetly curled effort.

Ben McAleer of WhoScored.com made sure to take note of the individual pedigree of every goal, perhaps sending a statement that this team is capable of challenging the tournament's big guns:

Perhaps the most positive news to come after the result was that of Danilo's good health, with Jan Hagen of Metro quoting Lopetegui as saying his captain was in a steady condition:

Bennett was also sure to note just how astutely Porto managed to see off the Basel threat, comparing their standards to those of Liverpool, who were eased out of the competition by the Swiss representatives:

Porto have never been a spending power on the same tier as Real Madrid or Chelsea, but their infrastructure continues to see them reap major benefits on the continental stage.   

Daniel Storey of Football 365 credited the Dragons on their policy, although that gulf in spending promises to come against tougher scrutiny in the next round:

All statistics come courtesy of WhoScored.com.