The Belgians issued an early statement of intent within the opening 15 seconds, as Tristan Degreef threaded a precise pass to Kasper Dolberg, who lifted a deft finish over Diogo Costa. However, Porto were spared an immediate setback when the linesman’s flag ruled the effort offside.
Porto would later seize the lead under contentious circumstances. Referee Morten Krogh, after a pitchside review, controversially penalized Degreef for a foul on Francisco Moura in the box. Galeno stepped up to convert the resulting penalty with confidence, providing redemption for Moura, who had conceded a spot-kick in Porto’s 2-1 loss to Moreirense just four days earlier in the Taca de Portugal.
The goal came at a crucial time for the Portuguese side, as they began to find their rhythm following a strong start from the hosts. Anderlecht continued to push forward, with Leander Dendoncker nearly drawing level just before halftime, only for his effort to be denied by a sharp save from Costa.
After the break, momentum swung back in Anderlecht’s favor. They came agonizingly close to equalizing when Mats Rits saw his header crash against the post. Moments later, Rits turned provider, intercepting a loose pass from Pepê and setting up Degreef, who made no mistake with a clinical finish past Costa.
Porto responded with urgency, pressing for a second goal to reclaim the lead. Galeno nearly delivered, firing narrowly wide after cutting in from the left. The breakthrough eventually came via substitute Fábio Vieira. Introduced less than a minute earlier, the Arsenal loanee found space on the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful strike that flew past Colin Coosemans.
Just as it seemed Porto were on the brink of a hard-earned away victory, Anderlecht struck back in dramatic fashion. Francis Amuzu’s speculative effort took a significant deflection, wrong-footing Costa and leveling the score.
The draw ensured Anderlecht’s unbeaten run in the competition extended to six matches, while Porto’s struggles on the road in the Europa League persisted. Bruno’s men have now managed just one win from their last 17 away games in the competition, highlighting a troubling trend.
