PORTO, PORTUGAL — Estádio do Dragão held its breath as Arouca threatened to pull off a stunning comeback, but FC Porto's class ultimately told in a breathless 3-1 victory that was only secured deep into stoppage time. The league leaders, sitting 39 goals better off than any side in the division, needed a William Gomes penalty in the 90th+1st minute and a clinical Terem Moffi finish in the 90th+8th to put the result beyond doubt after Naïs Djouahra had levelled for the visitors in the 70th minute.
The drama that unfolded in the final quarter was all the more surprising given how comfortably Porto had appeared to be cruising. Oskar Pietuszewski had given the hosts the perfect start — quite literally — when he tucked a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner from close range in the very first minute, a goal that required a VAR review before being awarded. Victor Froholdt's assist set the tone for what looked like it would be a routine evening at the Dragão. Porto launched 20 shots at goal compared to Arouca's 7, and their 56.6% possession advantage underlined a dominance that seemed to put the three points beyond question.
Yet football rarely follows the script. Arouca, sitting 10th in the table with a -20 goal difference, showed the kind of resilience that has kept them comfortably mid-table, and they were rewarded when Djouahra drilled a right-footed effort from outside the box into the centre of the goal in the 70th minute to level proceedings. It was a moment that silenced the home faithful and injected genuine tension into a match that had appeared settled.
Porto's response was immediate in intent if not in execution. Manager's triple substitution around the hour mark — bringing on Terem Moffi, William Gomes, and Rodrigo Mora to replace Deniz Gül, Oskar Pietuszewski, and Gabri Veiga respectively — had already reshaped the attack, and those fresh legs proved decisive. Alberto Costa tested Arouca goalkeeper Ignacio de Arruabarrena with a right-footed drive from outside the box in the 82nd minute, the keeper saving comfortably in the centre of the goal, but Porto kept pressing relentlessly.
The breakthrough Porto craved arrived in the most dramatic fashion. Seko Fofana, introduced for Pablo Rosario in the 76th minute, drew a foul in the penalty area from Yellu Santiago in the 87th minute. Gomes stepped up and dispatched the spot kick with ice-cold precision, curling a left-footed shot into the top right corner in the 90th+1st minute to restore Porto's lead. The Dragão erupted.
With nine minutes of added time announced, Porto were not finished. Moffi, who had been a constant menace since his introduction, completed the scoring in the 90th+8th minute, finishing from very close range with his left foot to the high centre of the goal after Gomes turned provider with the assist. It was a fitting conclusion to a night that had tested Porto's composure far more than their league position might suggest was necessary.
The statistics told a story of Porto's overwhelming dominance in terms of volume — 20 shots to Arouca's 7, seven shots on target to Arouca's solitary effort — yet Ignacio de Arruabarrena's four saves kept his side in contention long enough to make it interesting. Porto's goalkeeper was not called upon once, a testament to how effectively the home defence managed Arouca's limited attacking threat. Arouca's 14 fouls, compared to Porto's 11, reflected the visitors' physical approach as they attempted to disrupt the hosts' rhythm, earning two yellow cards in the process — Boris Popovic and Diogo Monteiro both booked in the closing stages.
Confidence will be high when Porto face Benfica on March 8 in what promises to be a defining clash at the top of the Primeira Liga, while Arouca must dust themselves off before travelling to face FC Famalicão on the same date.