Porto 1-1 Nottingham Forest result - Vitor Pereira's side earn crucial UEFA Europa League draw in quarter-final first leg

Europa League / Quarter-final

Estádio do Dragão / 09.04.2026

FC Porto

Finished

Nottingham Forest

W. Gomes(11')

M. Fernandes(13' O.G)

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Highlights

22:40

BIZARRE OWN-GOAL HANDS FOREST CRUCIAL DRAW IN PORTO

Martim Fernandes’s extraordinary own goal helped Nottingham Forest draw 1-1 at Porto in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final.

The hosts started with intent and had already been denied two good chances by Stefan Ortega when they took an 11th-minute lead.

Gabri Veiga, after finding a pocket of space, produced a dangerous ball through the six-yard box which, despite being missed by Terem Moffi, was tapped home by William Gomes at the far post.

However, the joy was shortlived when the hosts handed Forest a gift of an equaliser two minutes later.

Fernandes overhit his backpass from 40 yards out and it was too powerful for goalkeeper Diogo Costa to reach and trickled into the net.

The right-back’s night went from bad to worse as he limped off injured five minutes later, and Porto lacked rhythm from thereon after, as they struggled to create chances for the rest of the half.

Despite a quick start to the second period, spearheaded by Gomes on the right flank when he forced a fingertip save from Ortega, the hosts withered quickly.

Substitute Igor Jesus, replacing Chris Wood who played for the first time in six months, thought he had taken the lead after robbing the ball off Diogo Costa, but it was ruled out due to a handball in the build-up.

Porto threatened with a couple of chances towards the end, notably when Victor Froholdt fired inches wide after latching onto a clever backheel from fellow substitute Pepe, but could not find a winner.

Forest will be confident taking a draw back to the City Ground next Thursday, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max, but first need to negotiate a crucial clash with Aston Villa on Sunday as the relegation battle nears its climax.

Highlights: Forest claim valuable first-leg draw at Porto after bizarre own goal

Video credit: TNT Sports

22:37

WATCH: PEREIRA REFLECTS ON 'VERY GOOD RESULT' FOR FOREST ON THE ROAD

22:28

HOW TO WATCH FOOTBALL ON TNT SPORTS

So many UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League ties are in the balance and set up for tantalising second legs.

There is no better place to follow the action than TNT Sports, with live matches, exclusive interviews and comprehensive live reporting on our website and app.

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live sports on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

22:21

THE FINAL SCORES FROM THE FIRST LEGS

Freiburg and Villa look to have one foot in the semi-final. All to play for in the other two matches.

UEFA Europa League

FT: Braga 1-1 Real Betis (Wednesday)

FT: Freiburg 3-0 Celta Vigo

FT: Porto 1-1 Nottingham Forest

FT: Bologna 1-3 Aston Villa

'That's magic!' - Watkins restores Villa's two-goal advantage at the death

Video credit: TNT Sports

UEFA Conference League

Comfortable wins at home across the board. Will we see any big comebacks next week?

FT: Rayo Vallecano 3-0 AEK (17:45 KO)

FT: Mainz 2-0 Strasbourg

FT: Crystal Palace 3-0 Fiorentina

FT: Shakhtar Donetsk 3-0 AZ Alkmaar

'Super' Sarr header completes Palace rout of Fiorentina

Video credit: TNT Sports

22:17

KEOWN: 'IT'S WITHIN THEIR POWER TO WIN THIS'

22:11

WATCH: YATES ON THE SECOND LEG VS PORTO

22:05

STRONG WEEK FOR ENGLISH SIDES

Full time

21:58

FULL TIME! PORTO 1-1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

One last free-kick for Porto. It's a decent one but again the header is straight down Ortega's throat and that should be that.

Yep, there goes the whistle! An excellent point on the road for Forest.

90+1'

FIVE MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME

Alberto Costa makes a good run but it goes nowhere, but wins a corner regardless.

Forest attempt to break but the long ball is inaccurate and Diogo Costa cuts it out.

Neco Williams is fuming after he doesn't get a corner after a run into the box.

Five minutes added on.

85'

VARELA WASTES A COUPLE OF CHANCES FOR PORTO

Varela takes a pop from 25 yards out but it flies well over. Forest have barely left their half in the last 10 or so minutes.

Varela gets another chance inside the box this time but doesn't get good contact and it is easy for Ortega.

80'

PORTO GO CLOSE AFTER MAGICAL BACKHEEL

Forest will be the happier side if this finishes as a draw. Porto have shown flashes of being the better side but haven't had a sustained spell of dominance to really deserve the win.

Pepe plays a fantastic backheel to find Froholdt in space in the box, who drags his shot narrowly wide from a tight angle.

That backheel was a thing of beauty though, taking out three defenders and replays show that Froholt was inches away from scoring there.

75'

FOREST MAKE FINAL CHANGE OF THE NIGHT

Another change for Porto as Fofana is replaced by Alan Varela. Forest replace McAtee with Ibrahim Sangare for their final sub of the night.

Can either side find a winner with 15 minutes to go?

Substitution in

I. Sangaré

Nottingham Forest

Substitution out

J. McAtee

Nottingham Forest

70'

ORTEGA MAKES STRONG SAVE TO DENY GOMES

Another good save from Ortega!

He dives to his right to get a fingertip on a Gomes shot destined for the bottom corner to keep the scores level.

Dominguez clears the corner. The former Man City keeper is having a very impressive performance between the sticks.

66'

JESUS HAS GOAL RULED OUT

Igor Jesus has just put the ball in the back of the net, but it won't count as he completely cleaned out Diogo Costa in the build-up.

The amount of foul play from Jesus was negligible, but Costa clearly got hit on the head, and referee Marco Guida only blew the whistle after the ball was put in the net.

VAR take a look and agree with the on-field decision of no-goal.

TRIPLE CHANGE FOR PORTO, FOREST MAKE TWO CHANGES

Triple change for Porto as Sainz, Veiga and Moffi all come off and are replaced by Pepe (finally), Victor Froholdt and Deniz Gul.

Pepe nearly joined Forest in the summer, but now has a job to do to get Porto a first-leg advantage to take to the City Ground.

Here comes the Forest double change: Gibbs-White and Bakwa depart, and on come Omari Hutchinson and Neco Williams.

Substitution in

Pepê

FC Porto

Substitution out

B. Sainz

FC Porto

58'

PORTO CONTINUING TO DOMINATE

Apologies, Gomes is still on the pitch for Porto and Pepe is still waiting to come on, nine minutes into the half. Odd.

Another Porto cross from Gomes causes carnage and bounces in the box, but Bakwa gets back just in time to get rid of the danger.

Abbott misjudges a bouncing ball and Moffi almost gets in behind, but the young centre-back makes up for his mistake to recover.

53'

FOREST COMING UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE

Boos around the Estadio do Dragao after Dominguez clatters Gomes but escapes a caution.

More pressure from the hosts but Abbott makes a crucial interception at the cost of a corner.

Dominguez is next to produce a crucial header at the near post, before Bakwa clears away the second corner for good.

50'

GOMES IMMEDIATELY POSING PROBLEMS FOR FOREST

Gomes immediately gets stuck in for the hosts, before Fofana gets closed down by a sea of red shirts in the box.

Forest do well to pass their way round the press but Bakwa gets dispossessed by Sainz when he tries to cut inside.

Gomes then counters and beats a couple, but drags it wide trying to reverse the shot into the near corner.

46'

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY!

Two changes for Forest, as Milenkovic and Igor Jesus come on for Murillo and Wood.

Porto make a change too, bringing on Pepe for goalscorer Gomes.

Porto gets the second period underway.

Substitution in

I. Jesus

Nottingham Forest

Substitution out

C. Wood

Nottingham Forest

21:02

KEOWN: 'I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE PLAYER IS DOING'

Martin Keown on Fernandes's own goal: "It's a gift. I'm not really sure what the player is doing, he's just blasted it back and got injured five minutes later. It's been a horrible evening for him."

'Wants the ground to swallow him up!' - Bizarre Fernandes own goal gifts Forest equaliser at Porto

Video credit: TNT Sports

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