Real Betis came from behind to beat Porto 3-2 at La Cartuja in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, with Isco's 84th-minute penalty completing the turnaround after Cucho Hernández had equalised.
Abde Ezzalzouli's stunning strike put Manuel Pellegrini's side ahead early in the second half, but goals from Gabri Veiga and Samu Aghehowa had Porto in front before Betis hit back to make it two wins from two in the league phase.
Match facts
- Result: Real Betis 3-2 Porto (half-time 0-0)
- Competition: UEFA Champions League, League Phase, Matchday 2
- Venue: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville
- Scorers: Real Betis - Ezzalzouli 47', Cucho Hernández 74', Isco 84' (pen); Porto - Gabri Veiga 54', Samu 61'
- Assists: Real Betis - Fran García (47'), Antony (74'); Porto - Pepê (61')
- Red cards: None
- Player of the match: Isco
- Next: Real Betis host Feyenoord on Wednesday 21 October; Porto host PSV on Tuesday 20 October
How the match unfolded
Betis had most of the early pressure, and Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved from Ezzalzouli, Ángel Ortiz, Fran García and Marc Roca in the first half. At the other end, André Silva headed against the bar in the ninth minute.
Porto thought they had taken the lead shortly before half-time when Martim Fernandes scored, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review for handball, and the first half finished goalless.
Two minutes after the restart Betis went ahead. Fran García worked the ball back to Ezzalzouli on the left side of the box, and the Morocco winger struck a superb right-footed shot into the top corner. Antony then hit the post as the hosts pushed for a second.
Porto equalised in the 54th minute, when Veiga put a free-kick into the top corner after Roca was penalised on the edge of the area. Francesco Farioli made three substitutions just before the hour, and one of them paid off almost immediately: in the 61st minute Samu Aghehowa, on for André Silva, fired in from Pepê's pass to put Porto 2-1 up.
Pellegrini answered by bringing on Cucho Hernández and Dani Ceballos. In the 74th minute Ortiz's long ball found Antony, who cut inside and pulled it back low for Cucho to finish into the bottom corner.
Ten minutes later Betis had their winner. Ortiz went down under a challenge from Francisco Moura in the box, referee Clément Turpin went to the pitchside monitor after a VAR review and awarded a penalty, and Isco sent his kick into the bottom corner in the 84th minute.
Porto pushed late on, but Álvaro Valles saved headers from Pablo Rosario and Santiago Giménez in the closing minutes to protect the lead.
What the win means
Betis have six points from their first two league-phase games. The win follows their 5-2 La Liga victory over Osasuna on Sunday, when Isco also starred.
Porto, who beat Benfica 3-1 in the Portuguese league last month, have now lost both of their Champions League games after a 2-0 home defeat by Manchester City on Matchday 1.
What comes next
Betis host Feyenoord at La Cartuja on Wednesday 21 October, while Porto host PSV at the Estádio do Dragão on Tuesday 20 October.
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