Porto claim first win of Europa League campaign with victory over Hoffenheim
The Portuguese giants’ first two league phase matches against Bodø/Glimt and Manchester United saw the opener scored inside 10 minutes, and they should have been behind on 12 minutes here as Jacob Bruun Larsen spurned a golden opportunity, heading wide from a corner when unmarked.
Hoffenheim initially continued to enjoy the better of the chances, as Anton Stach saw his shot cannon off Juventus loanee Tiago Djaló and go just off target, before Adam Hložek guided Alexander Prass’ cross wide on the volley and Bruun Larsen was wasteful again, dinking over home goalkeeper Diogo Costa, only to see the ball trickle behind.
Visiting stopper Oliver Baumann was forced into the only two saves in the first half though, comfortably denying Pepê before having to scramble to thwart Samu Omorodion in a chaotic passage of play.
However, moments after Hložek had wonderfully dropped a shoulder and fired just over, Porto went ahead in stoppage time as a forceful challenge on Pepê by Stanley Nsoki saw the defender receive a booking.
And he was made to pay for that foul, with Francisco Moura swinging in the free-kick and Nehuén Pérez heading down for Djaló to thump home.
Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo finally turned to his bench midway through the second period as Mërgim Berisha, Umut Tohumcu, and Haris Tabaković were introduced.
However, the German outfit were sorely lacking a creative spark after the break and were duly punished for their lack of threat.
A long punt downfield allowed Samu to outjump Stach, and although the defender then tried to poke the ball back towards Baumann, he only succeeded in finding the Porto striker, who shuffled inside Stach and waited for his moment before shifting inside and finding the back of the net – the fourth time he has done so in the UEL this campaign.
Porto have now scored at least twice in five of their last seven UEL matches and will have a spring in their step as they return to league action at AVS on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim’s three-game unbeaten run in all competitions has come to an abrupt end as they face another away trip in three days’ time when they take on Heidenheim.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Tiago Djaló (Porto)