Por Draw - FC Porto 1 - 1 Nottingham Forest - Match Report and Player Ratings

Porto Frustrated by Resilient Reds - Match Report and Player Ratings

Nottingham Forest will be thanking Stefan Ortega after they were able to take a 1-1 draw away from their Europa League quarter-final battle with FC Porto on Thursday night, as the mostly-dominant hosts were unable to find a decisive finish through a slurry of chances and a bizarre own goal.

William Gomes had handed his side the lead just ten minutes into the affair after an excellent cross from the left by Gabi Veiga, but only for Martim Fernandes to send a comedic own-goal beyond Diogo Costa after fizzing a back-pass from distance into the bottom corner.

The result means Nottingham Forest will still have it all to play for at the City Ground next week, with a spot in the semi-finals no closer to being decided after 90 minutes in Portugal.

Match Highlights

FC Porto vs Nottingham Forest as it Happened

The game got off to a fast and frantic start in the Portuguese heat, with on-loan Nice striker Terem Moffi forcing a strong save out of Stefan Ortega almost immediately, with the German equal to a follow up from Gabriel Veiga.

Porto would keep surging on, and they grabbed an early opener through William Gomes. Youngster Zach Abbott was caught unawares as Porto released Veiga again into the left-channel, and his low cross from the left escaped the efforts of all in the Garibaldi for Gomes to tap home, having been left unmarked at the back post to slide home from a few yards.

It finishes level in Porto. pic.twitter.com/32anejIqek

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) April 9, 2026

Nottingham Forest, second best for the opening jabs of the game and trailing the game at this stage, would get a leveller through no neccesary effort of their own.

Right-back Martim Fernandes picked up possession under no pressure and fizzed a back-pass to Diogo Costa, but the Portuguese duo were on completely different wavelengths as the powerful pass flew past an unaware Costa and into the bottom corner, providing one of the most bizarre Europa League goals seen in some time.

The goal, despite not being by their own hand, instilled a bit of calm in the nervy-looking Forest ranks, and they started popping forward with more possession and aptitude on the ball, despite not forcing Costa into much of any further trouble.

Ortega should 💯 be our number 1 #nffc

— Wayne Cooper (@waynecoops1981) April 9, 2026

Ortega, on the other hand, remained a busy man as Porto managed to turn the pressure back up. He would be on hand to take the sting out of hopeful bids from Veiga and Seko Fofana, and saved his best save of the half for the final five minutes of it - reacting quickly to stoop right and catch a strong Moffi header from close-ish range.

The second half began much to the same tune as the first, with Porto keeping Forest on their toes with some strong bouts of attacking possession, which saw Ortega called into action on a couple choice occasions once more.

James McAtee, mostly quiet for the opening 45 minutes, would send a rare test Diogo Costa's way with a teasing long ranger that the Portuguese stopper turned around the post.

Just beyond the hour, Forest would celebrate the ball entering the Porto net once again through substitute Igor Jesus, who capitalised on a Costa spill to spin and burrow home an easy effort. However, a lengthy VAR check denied the goal after some incidental contact between the two.

Will absolutely take a 1-1 away from home against them! Onto Sunday! #NFFC

— Daniel Howitt (@dannyhowitt) April 9, 2026

Porto, up at the other end, almost took the lead back for themselves through substitute Deniz Gul, who drove in from the right channel and sent a daggering effort barely wide of Ortega's post - the German had kept out Gomes with another top-quality save moments before.

The next chance would be Porto's again, with two substitutes in Pepe and Victor Froholdt combining as the former found the Dane with a lovely backheel, but the youngster couldn't quite guide the effort on target from a difficult angle.

FC Porto Player Ratings

1-1 Nottingham Forest.

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MARTIM FERNANDES JUST PASSED THE BALL IN HIS OWN NET !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE OWN GOAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Sd76JsOjZx

— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) April 9, 2026

GK - Diogo Costa - 4/10

Was helpless to watch a pass from his own team-mate fly past him into the net for a quick Forest equaliser, but could have been readier for it in fairness. Got tonked on the back of the head by Jesus to save a blush after he spilled a tap in into his path.

RB - Martim Fernandes - 1/10

It's the harshest of ratings, but it has to stick sadly. Blasted a low backpass to Costa that caught his own keeper unaware and slipped into the bottom corner of his own net, which was his ownly notable contribution of his small time on the field

Never got the chance to make amends, as he was brought off with an injury just six minutes later for Alberto Costa.

CB - Thiago Silva - 6/10

The veteran with a composed enough display, as would have been expected. Didn't need to lean on his dwindling pace in Porto's lower defensive line, and kept Wood and Jesus quiet as he could for the most part.

CB - Jan Bednarek - 6/10

You could basically just read Silva's section again here for his partner, to be honest. Made some solid interventions throughout to keep Forest at arms length.

LB - Zaidu Sanusi - 7/10

Showed his energy and pace with some strong strides up the left of Porto's attack, without sacrificing his defensive duties amidst a good battle with Bakwa, one that he largely won.

CM - Gabi Veiga - 7/10

Slipped an excellent cross low into the box for William Gomes to tap home for 1-0 and pinged some decent bits of play around throughout the affair, which ended for him just before the hour mark.

CM - Pablo Rosario - 7/10

Sent a gorgeous flick around Zach Abbott and into the path of Veiga to supply an assist, and acted well in a double-act with Fofana in the midfield throughout the affair.

CM - Seko Fofana - 7/10

Kept play ticking over nicely through the first half in tandem with Rosario and showed his physical side with some daunting runs forward in possession. Broke play up with a range of strong challenges.

LW - William Gomes - 7/10

Opened the scoring with a close-range tap in the opening stages, and remained a thorn in the side with several solid crosses and pieces of attacking play.

RW - Borja Sainz - 6/10

Had a big chance to grab a goal for Porto before they eventually did - got his feet caught a little tangled to an excellent Gomes lay-off, and couldn't test Ortega as much as he should have.

ST - Terem Moffi - 5/10

Got into excellent positions throughout the depth of the first half, but couldn't find his shooting boots with Ortega equal to two efforts he should have done better with.

Sub 1 - Alberto Costa - 6/10

Didn't piledrive a back-pass into the bottom corner, so did better than his predecessor on the whole. Simple, solid display.

Sub 2 - Victor Froholdt - 6/10

Brought energy from the bench and could have handed Porto the lead before the 80th minute with a difficult effort from a tight angle.

Sub 3 - Pepe - 7/10

Brought a real flair and sense of direction for Porto from the bench, setting Froholdt up with a gorgeous back heeled flick and again for a long-range Varela effort.

Sub 4 - Deniz Gul - 5/10

Sent a tough-ish chance wide of the mark with his only major contribution from the bench.

Sub 5 - Alan Varela - 5/10

Didn't add much to the midfield in replacement of Fofana, save for a long-range dig which went flying over the bar and also sending a tame effort straight at Ortega.

Nottingham Forest Player Ratings

Nottingham Forest manager Vitor Pereira was honoured by Porto before their match in the Europa League. Pereira manager the Portuguese club from 2011-2013. 💙🐉 pic.twitter.com/rWuurU6dtF

— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) April 9, 2026

GK - Stefan Ortega - 8/10

Made a number of top-quality saves throughout the affair whilst being helpless to Porto's opening effort. Saves against Moffi and Gomes in the 45th and 65th minutes of play were great stops.

CB - Zach Abbott - 5/10

Was twisted up on the way to Porto's opener, but recovered decently in the second half with some smart bits of defensive play.

CB - Murillo - 6/10

Couldn't do much about the opening goal, and muscled in with a few good blocks and interventions as Porto cranked up the pressure. Off at the interval for regular partner Nikola Milenkovic.

CB - Morato - 4/10

Him and Ndoye in tandem left William Gomes totally unmarked to tap home the opening goal of the game, and he vacated a huge space which led to Moffi's huge chance in the opening minute of play. Not convincing.

CM - Nicolas Dominguez - 6/10

A typical display from the Argentine, covering as many blades of grass as he could to keep Forest competitive in the possession battle.

CM - Ryan Yates - 6/10

Had a tough ask dealing with a Fofana/Rosario double pivot, who played very well, but the Forest captain did a solid enough job of things with some necessary interventions and the occasional forray forward.

CM - James McAtee - 6/10

Didn't see much of him in the first half, save for a couple smart bits of link up play. Tested Costa from long range on the hour mark with a powerful drive in an improved second half, whilst showing a defensive edge with a few solid interventions.

AM- Morgan Gibbs-White - 5/10

Didn't quite get the chance to make the impact he has been making for Forest customarily as of late. Muscled in with his standard spirited tackles and long passes where he could, but was staggering the offensive side of things just a touch.. Off at the hour for Hutchinson.

LM - Dan Ndoye - 4/10

Like Bakwa, didn't look too comfortable from a positional sense when it came to his expected defensive duties, but takes a notch lower as he didn't add much in an attacking sense either in the first half.

RM - Dilane Bakwa - 6/10

Showcased a strong passing range with a smattering of excellent crosses and balls forward in search of his attacking partners in the first half, but looked a little uncomfortable positionally in a hybrid wingback type of role.

Attacking impact petered out as the second half went on, giving away a few cheap possessions, but funnily enough improved defensively, making an excellent intervention to keep Sainz away from a tap in. Off at the hour for Williams.

ST - Chris Wood - 5/10

Didn't get much of an opportunity to show off those famous killer striker instincts that Forest fans have missed so much in the last six months or so. Was brought off at half time for Igor Jesus.

Sub 1 - Igor Jesus - 6/10

Added a bit more of an energy and sharpness into the center of the attack for Forest, and was unlucky not to have broken the deadlock after a divisive VAR call.

Sub 2 - Nikola Milenkovic - 6/10

Stepped in for Murillo at half-time when many assumed Morato would be the one heading off. Did a competent enough job to keep Porto at an arms length through the second half.

Sub 3 - Omari Hutchinson - 5/10

Didn't have much of the impact he was brought on to bring.

Sub 4 - Neco Williams - 6/10

Added some positional ease to the right of defence in replacement of Bakwa.

Sub 5 - Ibrahim Sangare - 6/10

Brought on as a defensive sub for the attack-minded McAtee, and did his job as well as he needed to do.

Man Of the Match - Stefan Ortega

Stefan Ortega has completely kept us in this tie. #nffc

— NotNottsFo(R)est 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🌳 (@ForestNotSoMag) April 9, 2026

The main reason Nottingham Forest were able to stay in the tie throughout. The German came to the East Midlands in January to deputise for a knocked Matz Sels, and did that job to a strong degree this evening with a reel of top-quality saves.