UEFA Europa League
5:45 p.mMarch 12, 2026
Round of 16
MHP Arena
Referee: Donatas Rumsas, Lithuania
VfB Stuttgart
FC Porto
Turn off the spoiler to see match stats
0.63
Expected Goals (xG)
0.93
Passing by
443 (85%)
Accurate passes
257 (75%)
Turn off the spoiler to see the events of the match
33
G
Alexander Nübel
7.3
3
d
Ramon Hendricks
6.7
24
d
Jeff Chabot
6.5
d
Finn Jeltsch
48′ Stumbled
28
d
Nikolas Nartey
6.3
6
M
Angelo Stiller
7.3
16
M
Attack Karazor (C)
6.7
18
M
Jamie Lewelling
6.2
M
Bilal El Khanouss
90+3′ missing
40′
9
F
Ermedin Demirovic
6.3
UEFA Europa League Ranking – UEFA Europa League
Qualification/Relegation
- Promotion – Europa League (Play Off: Round of 16)
- Promotion – Europa League (Play Off: 1/16 final)
FC Porto secured a vital 2-1 win away to VfB Stuttgart at the MHP Arena in the UEFA Europa League, with early goals from Terem Moffi and Rodrigo Mora proving decisive. Diogo Costa’s exceptional goal was a key factor in securing the points for the visitors.
Stuttgart, 23rd in their group with three points, needed a strong performance to boost their hopes in Europe. Porto, ranked 7th with a perfect six points, were looking to maintain their impressive start to the competition. This meeting was crucial for the continental aspirations of both sides.
Porto started strongly, quickly asserting their intent. Terem Moffi broke the tie in the 21st minute with an assist from B. Sainz. The powerful finish silenced the home crowd early on.
Just six minutes later, Porto doubled their lead. Rodrigo Mora beat Alexander Nübel in the 27th minute, taking advantage of a precise pass from Zaidu to put the visitors in control. The quick goals surprised Stuttgart.
VfB Stuttgart showed resilience, fighting back before the break. Deniz Undav pulled one back for the home side in the 40th minute, linking up with B. El Khanouss. His accurate strike injected some much-needed hope into the German team.
The first half concluded with Porto’s William Gomes receiving a yellow card in stoppage time to delay the game. Stuttgart faced a major challenge up front in the second half, needing to overturn a goal deficit.
Trailing 2-1 at the break, Stuttgart knew they needed a strong performance in the second half. Porto, however, would look to maintain their defensive form and manage the game effectively to protect their lead.
The second half started with a yellow card for Stuttgart defender F. Jeltsch in the 48th minute for a foul. Porto made a triple substitution in the 59th minute, with V. Froholdt, Pepe and D. Gul refreshing their attacking and midfield lines.
Stuttgart responded with tactical changes of their own in the 63rd minute, with E. Demirovic replacing T. Tomas. Porto’s Thiago Silva was shown a yellow card soon after in the 65th minute, reflecting the growing tension.
The home side thought they had found the equalizer in the 70th minute. A. Stiller put the ball into the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR review. This decision proved to be a critical turning point for Stuttgart’s comeback hopes.
The match became more fractured towards the end, with several yellow cards late on. A. Varela and Zaidu del Porto were cautioned for delay of game and unsportsmanlike conduct, while B. El Khannouss received a caution for Stuttgart. Porto defended resolutely to protect their lead.
Despite dominating possession with 60% and attempting 14 shots in total, Stuttgart only managed 7 shots on target. Porto were more clinical, converting two of their five shots on goal from a total of 13 shots, despite having just 40% possession. Porto’s expected goals (xG) of 0.93 were slightly better than Stuttgart’s 0.63, reflecting their efficiency. Diogo Costa made six crucial saves for Porto, an outstanding performance.
This hard-fought 2-1 win cements FC Porto’s position at the top of their Europa League group, extending their perfect record to two wins from two matches. VfB Stuttgart will need to regroup quickly for their next European challenge to keep their hopes of qualifying in a competitive group alive.
