Evening all and welcome to TheScore.ie‘s minute-by-minute coverage of tonight’s Europa League Final between FC Porto and SC Braga, coming to you live from my seat (Block 526, Row T, Seat 10) in the “Dublin Arena” press box.

Kick-off’s not until 19:45, but we’ll have plenty of fun and games to keep you busy over the next 50 minutes or so. Stay right here.

First things first – the teams are just in, so let’s get them out of the way.

FC Porto: Helton; Cristian Sapunaru, Rolando, Otamendi, Alvaro Pereira; Guarin, Fernando, Joao Moutinho; Hulk, Falcao, Silvestre Varela.

SC Braga: Artur; M.Garcia, Paulão, Rodríguez, Sílvio; Custódio, Vandinho; Alan, H.Viana, P.César; Lima.

Just in case you’re finding it hard to visualise what those two line-ups might look like, here’s a nifty little diagram of how expect Porto to line out.

And here’s the same for Braga.

Of course, tonight’s final is an all-Portuguese affair which means that I should have some opportunity to try out my (incredibly limited) command of the language. “Todo bem” means “howaya,” right?

So, what can we expect from tonight’s game? Well, if Porto’s quarter-final and semi-final games are anything to go by, we can expect a hell of goals. They’ve scored a massive 17 goals in their last two ties against Spartak Moscow and Villarreal – here’s hoping they haven’t peaked too soon.

Their Colombian striker Radamel Falcao has bagged a record-breaking 16 in the tournament this season. Only a brave man would bet against him making it 17 (or 18 or 19) at some stage this evening.

Speaking of Falcao, “The Kaiser” has been in touch in the comments below with this to say about the Colombian sharpshooter:

Just under 20 minutes to kick-off and the “Dublin Arena” is filling up nicely. Probably only about 30,000 here by my count at the moment. Maybe the Portuguese fans are following the example of Dublin’s GAA supporters. “When in Rome,” I suppose …

A quick word on SC Braga. Fans of Arsenal and Liverpool will need no introduction of course – they have already lost to Domingos Paciencia’s men in European competition this season.

Despite picking up three wins in the Champions League, Braga didn’t make the knockout stages and ended up being parachuted into the last 32 of the Europa League. They’ve made the best of their lot since then though. A European final – any European final – is a big deal in that neck of the woods.

If you’re sick of listening to me jabber on and actually want some refreshing insights into tonight’s game, as well as a knowledgeable opinion on what might happen, check out some of our pre-match build-up here.

Kevin Coleman wrote the bluffer’s guides to the two teams – FC Porto and SC Braga.

Paul Ring served us up one of his brilliant study guides ahead of tonight’s game.

And here’s a wonderful pictorial summary of how both of tonight’s finalists booked their place in the final.

That last one is all my own handiwork, thank you very much.

There is some sort of remarkably over-elaborate pantomime going on on the pitch below me. Flags, drummers – that sort of thing.

Funny that, I could’ve swore that the match was due to kick-off in three minutes’ time. Reckon I’ve time for a burger?

Maybe not. Here come the teams, led by this evening’s referee, Carlos Velasco Carballo from Spain.

It’s showtime, folks.

This is about the time of the night when I usually ask if anybody has placed any wagers on the evening’s events. So, have you?

Backed a Falcao hat-trick myself. Seriously.

And we’re off, with Porto playing from left to right for this first half. No national anthems, no dignitaries, nothing. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

The “Trivia of the Night” award goes to Seán O’ Cheafarcaigh for this gem of knowledge:

“Speaking of Braga and Arsenal, did you know that Braga are know as The Arsenalistas? They’re called that because in the 30s the then Braga coach was in England and saw and Arsenal game, loved the jersey’s so much that he changed the Braga jersey’s to look like the Arsenal one’s.”

Beat that.

Oooh, that certainly would’ve made things interesting. Four minutes in and the first chance of the night falls to Braga. The Porto defence stepped up in an attempt to catch Custodio offside. He beat the trap but snatched a little at his volley from the edge of the area and it zipped past Helton’s post.

A lively start to proceedings.

Ah yes, there’s the attacking flair we were hoping Porto would bring this evening. Hulk traps a cross-field pass over on the right touchline and beautifully cuts back into the box, completely taking Silvio out of the game in the process. The winger tries to bend it in into the far post but his shot is inches off-target.

It has been all Porto so far here in the opening 12 minutes. The wide men, Hulk and Varela, are looking particularly useful, dragging their markers all over the place and opening up plenty of space. Braga are just finding it a little bit difficult to clear their lines at times.

Varela tries a pretty ambitious bicycle kick from the edge of the box after a deep free-kick is only half-cleared by the Braga defence. It doesn’t trouble Artur’s goal though.

The Porto fans are chanting something which sounds like “Allez allez, Porto”. It’s definitely to the same tune as the verse of I’ll Stand By You. Or so I’m told …

Of the two managers, you’d have to feel that Mr. Villas-Boas will be the happier so far. It’s Porto who have generally been on the front foot for most of this opening quarter and there is a sense that one moment of creativity will be all it takes to spring Falcao, who is playing right on the shoulder of the centre-half.

Hugo Viana slides in and catches Hulk right under the referee’s nose, picking up the first yellow card of the evening for his troubles.

I may be wrong, but I think the Braga players have identified Hulk as a bit of a threat. Silvio is the latest player to go in the referee’s notebook as he unnecessarily comes crashing through the back of the Brazilian. Considering how much he has struggled to handle Hulk so far, he’ll do well to avoid another booking in the remaining sixty minutes.

Varela has half-chance to put Porto one up but he can’t quite direct his diving header on target. In fact, it ends up closer to the corner flag than the goal.

Stats lovers, did you know that Hulk and Falcao have 71 goals between them so far this season? You did? Of course you did.

A lovely little flick by Guarin takes him by Alberto Rodriguez and into the box. Paulao comes across to cover though and the Porto midfielder just clips him, conceding a free-out. That’s how our Spanish referee saw matters anyway – I’m not so sure.

Dodgy Keeper Watch: Artur slams a back-pass straight at the onrushing Falcao. His blushes are saved by the fact that a) the ball went harmlessly wide and b) it had come off the Colombian’s raised arm.

Five minutes to go until half-time here at Lansdowne Road and it really has been all one-way traffic so far. Braga seem to have – em, how do you say it in Portuguese – “parked the bus” in the hope of boring us all to a 0-0 draw and taking this game to penalties.

GOAL! Porto 1-0 Braga (Falcao) Well, that was coming, wasn’t it. Radamel Falcao is the man who will take all of the plaudits for the 17th goal in this year’s Europa League, but the Colombian owes a huge debt of gratitude to Guarin. He beautifully cut back inside his marker deep on the right wing and floated a tempter beyond a rather static Paulao and onto Falcao’s head 12 yards out. No chance for Artur in the Braga goal – and maybe, just maybe, no chance for Braga in this game.

Half Time: Porto 1-0 Braga Well, what did we make of that? Send me your comments and I’ll publish the best during the break.

Just in case you missed it, Falcao’s goal is here.

It would make you wonder if he’s only scored so many this season because he’s been playing against some truly awful defenders. Or is that unfair on the Colombian?

The teams are back out on the pitch and Paciencia has made two changes to his Braga side for this second period. Alberto Rodriguez and Hugo Viana depart to be replaced by Kaka (not that one) and Mossoro.

We’re back underway … and within seconds, the subsitute Mossoro finds himself with a glorious opportunity to equalise for Braga. He’s through one-on-one with Helton but the keeper is able to get an outstretched leg on his rather tame effort and deflect it away.

What a start to the second period. Maybe Braga have come to play after all.

It’s all gone a little bit quiet here after a fairly positive and adventurous start from Braga. Scrappy play from both sides with neither of them really getting the ball under control in the middle.

All semblance of life really has drained from this game, so much so that Hulk tries to rouse the Porto fans over the East Stand as he goes to take a corner. It works for about ten seconds and then dies out again.

Mossoro picks up a yellow card after berating the referee for not spotting the most blatant of shirt-pulls.

Another change for Braga, Albert Meyong coming on to replace Lima up front.

Braga are certainly winning the battle to control the middle of the pitch over the last few minutes, with Custodio and Alan in particular showing some nice touches. They’re seeing quite a lot of ball, they just don’t seem to know what to do with it.

That should’ve been 2-0 to Porto and game over. Hulk – who else? – floats a lovely cross in from the left which misses the head of the criminally-unmarked Pereira by inches.

No sooner than I have the words typed then Braga break down the pitch with an excellent chance of their own. Paulao comes up from the back as a free-kick is pumped into the box from deep, but he just can’t keep his header down.

Chances, chances, chances. What price another goal in the remaining 16 minutes?

45,391 in attendance here tonight. Not quite a sell-out but, considering how few tickets Braga actually took up and how skint most of Ireland is, the organisers will probably be pleased enough.

Seven minutes left here and Porto are managing to see just about enough of possession to put a dampner on whatever momentum Braga have. It’s all gone very loose again which won’t really bother AVB and his boys. They’re minutes away from a historic success.

That just about sums Braga’s evening up. They win a corner and a chance to put some pressure on the Porto goal, but Alan misjudges his cross terribly and it sails over everyone’s heads and away for a goal kick.

PORTO ARE THE EUROPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 2011.

FULL TIME: Porto 1-0 Braga

So that’s that, and I don’t think anyone could argue with the result on the night. Let’s not beat about the bush – it was a pretty terrible final, but Porto were by far the better team, showing much more invention and creativity going forward and they deserved their win.

Braga did have their chances, particularly Mossoro’s fluffed strike immediately after half-time, but they simply didn’t test the Porto defence often enough.

Congrats to Andre Villas-Boas who, at 33 years and 213 days becomes the youngest ever manager to win a major European trophy. It is a seriously impressive achievement – here’s hoping that he can hold on to his players for next year’s Champions League where we will see what Porto are truly made of.

That’s about all from me for this evening. I’m off to the post-match presser to see if I can shake hands with AVB – he is the new “Special One” after all.

Thanks very much for stopping by and for sending in your comments. We’ll be back bright and early in the morning with more reaction and analysis of tonight’s game.

Until then, as they say on the streets of Oporto, adeus!