Real Betis came from behind to beat FC Porto 3-2 at Estadio La Cartuja on Wednesday, with Isco’s 84th-minute penalty deciding a UEFA Champions League league-phase fixture that burst into life after the interval.
Five second-half goals brought two changes of lead. Betis struck first through Abde Ezzalzouli in the 47th minute, only for Gabri Veiga’s 54th-minute free-kick and Samu Aghehowa’s 61st-minute goal to turn the contest Porto’s way. Cucho Hernández restored parity in the 74th minute before Isco delivered the decisive intervention from the spot.
Five goals transform the contest
A goalless opening half gave little indication of the twists to follow. Just two minutes after the restart, Ezzalzouli broke the deadlock to put the hosts ahead.
Porto’s response was swift. Veiga equalised with a free-kick in the 54th minute, and seven minutes later Aghehowa made it 2-1 to the visitors. Within a quarter of an hour of taking the lead, Betis were facing the prospect of defeat.
The hosts still had time to respond, and Hernández supplied the equaliser in the 74th minute. His goal brought Betis level at 2-2 and set up a tense closing stretch, with a draw still a possibility for both sides.
Isco delivers the decisive penalty
The final twist arrived in the 84th minute. Isco converted from the penalty spot to restore Betis’ advantage, completing their recovery from 2-1 down. The hosts then held that lead through six minutes of added time to secure all three points.
Across the full match, Betis had the greater share of possession at 56% and led the shot count 17-11, including seven attempts on target to Porto’s five. They also won five corners to the visitors’ one, although Porto’s two-goal burst demonstrated how quickly the balance could shift.
For Porto, the frustration was letting a hard-earned second-half lead slip away. For Betis, this was a victory built on resilience: having seen their opening goal overturned, they found two more when the fixture threatened to escape them.
