Porto vs. Nottingham Forest Recap: Bizarre 40-Yard Own Goal Costs Porto First-Leg Lead in 1-1 Stalemate – Final Score & Highlights

Sportsphere24 Updates  April 10, 2026 

Final Score Box Score

Venue: Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal
Attendance: 50,000+
Time of Game: 90 minutes + 5 added
Winning Team: Draw (all to play for in second leg)
MVP of the Game: Stefan Ortega – 7 saves, multiple crucial interventions 

Introduction: A Tale of Two Goals and One Goalkeeper

For 11 minutes at the Estádio do Dragão, the math made perfect sense to Porto. Press high. Attack the flanks. Test the goalkeeper. The Portuguese giants were doing everything right—and they had the lead to prove it.

Then football delivered one of its strangest moments of the season.

Final Score: Porto 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

What should have been a commanding first-leg advantage for the home side became a bizarre, frustrating, and ultimately concerning result for Francesco Farioli's men. Porto dominated every meaningful statistical category—2.17 expected goals (xG) from 16 shots to Forest's 0.45 xG from just 6 attempts . They hit the target 8 times to Forest's 2 . They controlled possession. They created chance after chance.

And they walked off their own pitch with nothing but a draw.

William Gomes gave Porto the perfect start, tapping home from close range after 11 minutes of slick attacking play . But just two minutes later, the unthinkable happened: Martim Fernandes, under no real pressure, attempted a routine back-pass from 40 yards out—and watched in horror as the ball rocketed past his own goalkeeper Diogo Costa and into the net .

The young right-back was substituted in tears just seven minutes later, his night over .

Forest goalkeeper Stefan Ortega was the hero for the visitors. The former Manchester City shot-stopper made 7 saves , including a spectacular one-handed stop to deny William Gomes a second goal and a crucial intervention on a late Victor Froholdt effort that flashed agonizingly wide .

The result leaves the tie perfectly poised ahead of next Thursday's second leg at the City Ground. Porto's eight-match unbeaten run in the Europa League remains intact, but Forest became the first visiting team to deny Porto a win at the Dragão in this competition all season .

Looking for more European action? Check out our full recap of Bologna vs. Aston Villa: Watkins' Clinical Brace Powers 3-1 First-Leg Victory .

First Half: Chaos, Goals, and a Nightmare for Martim Fernandes

The Pre-Game Narrative

Porto entered this match in red-hot European form. They were unbeaten in 7 matches in the Europa League this season, with their only loss coming 2-0 to Nottingham Forest back on Matchday 3 at the City Ground . Revenge was very much on the menu.

Forest, managed by Vitor Pereira—a two-time Portuguese champion with Porto who was returning to his former home —were massive underdogs. The Estadio do Dragão is one of Europe's most intimidating venues, and Forest had never won in Portugal.

1st Minute: Ortega Saves Early

Porto almost took the lead inside 45 seconds. Terem Moffi was played through on goal and unleashed a low drive aimed for the bottom corner. Stefan Ortega—starting in place of the injured Matz Sels—was equal to it, diving low to his right to palm the ball away .

The rebound fell to Borja Sainz, but his follow-up effort was weak and straight at the grateful goalkeeper .

It was a sign of things to come.

11th Minute: William Gomes Opens the Scoring

Porto's early pressure finally paid off after 11 minutes of relentless attacking.

Pablo Rosario—the Dutch midfielder—held off a challenge from Forest defender Zach Abbott before playing a perfectly weighted through ball to Gabri Veiga . The Spanish playmaker drove into the box and delivered a low, first-time cross across the face of goal.

At the far post, William Gomes—the Brazilian winger—had ghosted in unnoticed. He arrived perfectly to tap the ball into the roof of the net from close range .

Porto 1, Nottingham Forest 0.

The Dragão erupted. The away fans fell silent. Porto looked destined to run riot.

William Gomes' goal was his fourth of the Europa League campaign—making him Porto's leading scorer in the competition this season . Remarkably, he has now opened the scoring in every single one of those matches.

13th Minute: The 40-Yard Own Goal

Porto was still celebrating. The stadium was still buzzing. Then football delivered one of its most inexplicable moments.

The ball was worked across Porto's defensive line to right-back Martim Fernandes. The 20-year-old Portuguese defender—a product of Porto's academy—received the ball in his own half, under no real pressure from any Forest attacker .

He attempted what should have been a routine back-pass to his goalkeeper, Diogo Costa.

What happened next defied belief.

Fernandes overhit the pass catastrophically. From roughly 40 yards out, he struck the ball with far too much pace . Diogo Costa, who had moved slightly off his line to provide a passing option on the edge of his penalty area, could only watch in horror as the ball whistled past him and rolled into the unguarded net .

The Estádio do Dragão fell into a state of collective disbelief. Forest players looked at each other in shock before celebrating their incredible stroke of luck. The away end erupted.

Porto 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

19th Minute: Fernandes Substituted in Tears

To make matters worse for the young defender, his nightmare evening ended just seven minutes later . Whether due to injury, psychological distress, or both, Fernandes was substituted off, replaced by Alberto Costa.

As he walked off the pitch, the 20-year-old was visibly distraught—hunched over with his hands on his knees, his head down, tears in his eyes . The home crowd tried to lift him with applause, but the damage was done.

First-Half Pressure Continues

Porto refused to let the bizarre equalizer derail them entirely. Before halftime, they carved out another golden opportunity.

Seko Fofana combined beautifully with Terem Moffi, who rose to meet a cross with a glancing header toward the far corner . Once again, Stefan Ortega was there—diving across his goal to claim the ball and keep Forest level .

Halftime Score: Porto 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

The stats at the break told a story of complete Porto dominance: 70% possession, 9 shots, 4 on target. Forest had barely crossed the halfway line. Yet the scoreboard read 1-1.

Read next: Stefan Ortega: The journeyman goalkeeper becoming Forest's European hero

Second Half: Ortega Stands Tall as Porto Frustration Mounts

49th Minute: William Gomes Goes Close

Porto came out of the locker room determined to restore their lead. William Gomes—already on the scoresheet—produced a moment of individual brilliance just four minutes into the second half.

The Brazilian winger picked up the ball on the right flank and dribbled past two Forest defenders with a series of sharp cuts and feints . He drove into the box and unleashed a low, driven shot aimed for the far corner.

The ball skipped just wide of the upright . So close. Still 1-1.

68th Minute: Ortega's One-Handed Masterpiece

Porto continued to pile on the pressure. In the 68th minute, William Gomes received the ball on the edge of the box and shaped to shoot. He curled a left-footed effort toward the top corner—a shot that looked destined for the back of the net .

Stefan Ortega had other ideas.

The German goalkeeper launched himself across his goal and produced a stunning one-handed save, fingertips pushing the ball around the post for a corner . It was the save of the match—and arguably the save of Forest's European campaign.

74th Minute: VAR Denies Igor Jesus

Against the run of play, Forest thought they had taken the lead.

Igor Jesus—who had replaced Chris Wood at halftime—found space in the Porto box and turned the ball into the net. The away end erupted.

But the assistant referee's flag stayed down. The goal stood. Forest led 2-1.

Then VAR intervened.

After a lengthy review, referee Marco Guida was sent to the monitor. The decision: NO GOAL. Igor Jesus had committed a foul on Diogo Costa in the buildup, making contact with the Porto goalkeeper as the ball came in .

The goal was disallowed. Porto breathed a massive sigh of relief. Forest's players protested, but the decision stood.

79th Minute: Froholdt Inches Wide

Porto pushed for a winner in the final 15 minutes. Their best chance came in the 79th minute.

Pepê—one of Farioli's attacking substitutes—produced a moment of magic. The Brazilian winger played an exquisite back-heeled pass through the Forest defense to Victor Froholdt, who had burst into the box unmarked .

The Danish international had the goal at his mercy. He shaped to shoot with his left foot.

The ball flashed across the face of goal—inches past the far post . The Dragão groaned. Froholdt held his head in his hands. It was that close.

90'+5: Last-Minute Drama

Deep into added time, Porto won a corner. Alan Varela swung the ball into the box. Thiago Silva—the Portuguese center-back, not the Chelsea legend—rose highest and powered a header toward the top corner .

Stefan Ortega was there once again, tipping the ball over the bar for another corner . It was his 7th save of the night .

The final whistle blew moments later.

Final Score: Porto 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

Related: Europa League quarter-final first legs: All the action from across Europe

The Stats That Tell the Story

Porto Dominance vs. Forest Resilience

The numbers are staggering. Porto generated 2.17 expected goals to Forest's 0.45 . They had 16 shots to Forest's 6 . They put 8 shots on target to Forest's 2 . And yet, the scoreboard read 1-1.

Stefan Ortega was the single biggest reason for that discrepancy. His 7 saves included multiple interventions that kept Forest in the tie .

Key Player Impact

The xG Narrative

Porto's 2.17 xG suggests they should have scored at least two goals on an average night. Their actual output: one . Forest's 0.45 xG suggests they created very little—and they didn't. Their actual output: one (courtesy of Fernandes' own goal).

Expected goals (xG) is a metric that measures the quality of a chance based on factors like distance to goal, angle, and type of assist. A xG of 0.10 means a 10% chance of scoring; 2.17 means Porto should have scored 2-3 goals based on the chances they created.

See also: Europa League 2025-26: Quarter-final first leg roundup

The Own Goal: A Moment That Will Live in Infamy

What Happened

With 13 minutes on the clock and Porto leading 1-0, the ball was passed to Martim Fernandes on the right flank. The 20-year-old was under no pressure—no Forest attacker within 10 yards of him .

He attempted a routine back-pass to goalkeeper Diogo Costa. The pass was hit with far too much pace, sailed past Costa—who had moved off his line—and rolled directly into the Porto net from 40 yards out .

The Aftermath

Fernandes was visibly distraught. He stood hunched over with his hands on his knees as Forest's away end celebrated. The young defender was substituted off just 7 minutes later—whether due to injury, psychological distress, or both .

As he walked off the pitch, tears in his eyes, the home crowd attempted to lift him with applause. But his night—and potentially his confidence—was shattered.

Historical Context

This is being described as one of the most inexplicable own goals in Europa League history . From 40 yards out, under no pressure, with no deflection—it was a moment of catastrophic misfortune that will be replayed for years.

Can He Recover?

Porto's next match is away at Etioral Praia in Liga Portugal action on Sunday . It remains to be seen whether Fernandes will be selected—or whether he will be given time to recover physically and mentally from a nightmare evening.

Read next: The psychology of own goals: How players recover from catastrophic mistakes

Post-Match Reaction

Francesco Farioli (Porto head coach) on the result (via UEFA.com) :

"We are a little frustrated because we could have had a two or three-goal advantage to take to Nottingham. Against a team of this level, we dominated the match, so there are a lot of positive things to take. But we must be more clinical."

William Gomes (Porto goalscorer) on his goal (via UEFA.com) :

"I think it's a move we've really repeated that we manage to do every time. We work a lot on these passes in training, we work on the wingers and midfielders, and I was in the right place at the right time."

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest captain) on the result (via TNT Sports) :

"I thought it was a very tactical game. They had spells of possession, we had to be disciplined, well-organized defensively. I think it took us a good ten minutes to get into it, but I think it was a fair result in the end."

Vitor Pereira (Nottingham Forest head coach) on returning to Porto (via TNT Sports) :

*"Porto, at home, is a strong team and they are on a good run. I think we did the right things. The players tried everything to stay organized, to create something. In the end, this 1-1 is a good result. And we will see what we can do at home."*

Player Ratings

Porto

Nottingham Forest

Historical Context: Records Broken and Extended

Porto's Unbeaten Run Continues (Barely)

With this draw, Porto:

• Extended their unbeaten run in the Europa League to 8 matches 

• Their last loss in the competition remains the 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Matchday 3 at the City Ground 

• They are now 8 matches unbeaten since that loss

Forest Makes History

Nottingham Forest:

• Became the first visiting team to deny Porto a win at the Estádio do Dragão in the Europa League this season 

• Have now lost only 1 of their 7 away European matches in this campaign 

• Vitor Pereira became the first former Porto manager to return to the Dragão and leave with a result

William Gomes' Milestone

William Gomes' goal was his 4th of the Europa League campaign—making him Porto's leading scorer in the competition this season . He has now opened the scoring in every single one of those matches.

What This Means for the Tie

The Second Leg Outlook

The second leg takes place at the City Ground in Nottingham on Thursday, April 16 .

Forest has already beaten Porto once this season—2-0 at the City Ground on Matchday 3 of the league phase . That result will give them immense confidence heading into the second leg.

The Key Questions

1. Can Porto score at the City Ground? They didn't in the league phase.

2. Will Martim Fernandes recover? Porto will need their full squad for the second leg.

3. Can Stefan Ortega repeat his heroics? Forest's hopes rest on their goalkeeper.

4. Will Chris Wood be fit to start? Forest's top scorer was substituted at halftime.

The Semi-Final Path

The winner of this tie will face either Bologna or Aston Villa in the semi-finals :

• First leg: April 30 (away for the Porto/Forest winner)

• Second leg: May 7 (home)

The Europa League final takes place at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul on Wednesday, May 20 .

See also: Europa League semi-final preview: Who's left in the competition?

What's Next for Both Teams

Porto

Porto will travel to Etioral Praia on Sunday before the decisive second leg in England.

Sportsphere24 Prediction: Porto will need to score at the City Ground—something they failed to do in the league phase. Expect an attacking approach from Farioli's men.

Nottingham Forest

Forest faces Aston Villa—their potential semi-final opponents—on Sunday before hosting Porto in the second leg.

Sportsphere24 Prediction: Forest's home advantage and their 2-0 win over Porto in the league phase make them slight favorites. Expect Vitor Pereira to set up defensively and hit on the counter.

Final Thoughts

Thursday night at the Estádio do Dragão was a game of two goals—one brilliant, one bizarre—and one extraordinary goalkeeping performance.

Porto played the better football. They created the better chances. They dominated possession, shots, and expected goals . But they couldn't beat Stefan Ortega when it mattered most. William Gomes' early strike was a moment of quality, but the failure to add a second—or third—will haunt Farioli's men.

Nottingham Forest did what they had to do. They absorbed pressure. They stayed organized. They took the gift that Martim Fernandes handed them. And they return to the City Ground with the tie perfectly poised. Vitor Pereira's tactical discipline was on full display, and Ortega's heroics gave Forest a fighting chance.

The second leg at the City Ground is now a winner-takes-all showdown. Forest has already beaten Porto at home this season. Porto has never beaten Forest in three meetings. The Portuguese giants will need to break that duck if they want to reach the semi-finals.

Can Porto overcome their City Ground curse? Will Forest's European dream continue? Or will Stefan Ortega produce another masterclass to send the Premier League side to Istanbul?

*Check back to Sportsphere24 Updates for complete coverage of the second leg and the Europa League semi-final draw.*