Substitute striker Samu Aghehowa found the back of the net in the 61st minute to hand FC Porto a partial 2-1 lead over Real Betis at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. Played on Wednesday (14) as part of Matchday 2 in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase, the encounter remains in progress during the second half.

The Portuguese club mounted its rally after forward Abde Ezzalzouli gave the Spanish hosts the lead right after the halftime break. Midfielder Gabri Veiga brought the visitors level with a direct free kick before Samu Aghehowa came off the bench to complete the turnaround.

Triple substitution by Francesco Farioli sparks the second-half turnaround

Head coach Francesco Farioli triggered the visitors’ comeback with a triple tactical change in the 59th minute, shortly after the equalizer and a sequence of yellow cards caused by player confrontations and objects thrown onto the pitch. The Italian manager took off André Silva, Martim Fernandes, and Borja Sainz all at once, bringing on Samu Aghehowa, Alberto Costa, and Oskar Pietuszewski to refresh both the attack and the right flank. Just two minutes after the adjustments, in an attacking move started by Gabri Veiga, Brazilian winger Pepê delivered a backheel pass to Samu Aghehowa, who fired high off the underside of the crossbar and past goalkeeper Álvaro Valles.

🚨Samu Aghehowa seals the comeback 🇪🇸 Real Betis 1-2 Porto 🇵🇹 https://t.co/LRSgJ1NZhs— Goals Xtra (@GoalsXtra) October 14, 2026

Prior to the visitors seizing control of the scoreboard, Real Betis had broken the deadlock immediately after returning from the locker room. In the 47th minute, Abde Ezzalzouli controlled a pass from defender Fran García and placed a shot into the top right corner past goalkeeper Diogo Costa to make it 1-0. Moments after the opening goal, Brazilian winger Antony nearly doubled the advantage for the home side, striking the post with a quick effort from the edge of the penalty area.

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FC Porto answered in the 54th minute following a foul committed by midfielder Marc Roca. Stepping up for the long-range set piece, Gabri Veiga fired directly at goal and beat Álvaro Valles to level the contest at 1-1. Right after conceding the second goal in the 61st minute, Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini responded in the 62nd minute with a double substitution, sending on Dani Ceballos and Cucho Hernández to replace Nelson Deossa and Troy Parrott. Later in the half, at the 71-minute mark, Farioli made another adjustment to his midfield by bringing on South Korean international Hwang In-Beom in place of goalscorer Gabri Veiga.

Video review cancels first-half volley during tense opening period

The opening half in Seville ended scoreless but featured a decisive intervention by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), the electronic review system used by match officials. In the 40th minute, right-back Martim Fernandes struck a volley from the edge of the box that glanced off the crossbar and crossed the goal line. However, French referee Clément Turpin disallowed the play in the 42nd minute after detecting a handball in the buildup and showed a yellow card to coach Francesco Farioli for protesting the decision on the touchline.

• 2nd minute (1st half): Abde Ezzalzouli shoots from the edge of the box toward the bottom right corner, forcing a save from goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
• 3rd minute (1st half): Isco sets up Marc Roca inside the penalty area, whose strike goes just wide of the right post.
• 11th minute (1st half): André Silva pounces on a rebound inside the six-yard box and heads the ball against the Real Betis crossbar.
• 15th minute (1st half): Ángel Ortiz receives a pass inside the box and fires straight down the middle, where Diogo Costa makes the stop.
• 27th minute (1st half): Nelson Deossa tries his luck from long distance, sending the ball narrowly past the left post.
• 32nd minute (1st half): Fran García hits a low drive from outside the area that Diogo Costa gathers cleanly in the center of the goal.
• 40th minute (1st half): Martim Fernandes nets a volley for FC Porto, prompting an official video review.
• 42nd minute (1st half): Referee Clément Turpin waves off the goal following a VAR check for a handball and books Francesco Farioli.
• 47th minute (2nd half): Abde Ezzalzouli finishes into the top right corner off a Fran García assist to put Real Betis up 1-0.
• 54th minute (2nd half): Gabri Veiga converts a long-range direct free kick to pull FC Porto even at 1-1.
• 56th minute (2nd half): Clément Turpin issues yellow cards to André Silva, Abde Ezzalzouli, and Nelson Deossa following a scuffle during the goal celebration.
• 59th minute (2nd half): FC Porto executes a triple substitution, introducing Samu Aghehowa, Alberto Costa, and Oskar Pietuszewski.
• 61st minute (2nd half): Samu Aghehowa takes a backheel pass from Pepê and blasts a high shot to give FC Porto a 2-1 lead.
• 62nd minute (2nd half): Real Betis brings on Dani Ceballos and Cucho Hernández in place of Nelson Deossa and Troy Parrott.
• 71st minute (2nd half): Hwang In-Beom enters the pitch for FC Porto, replacing midfielder Gabri Veiga.

Confirmed lineups and European form for Real Betis and FC Porto

The October 14, 2026 fixture brought together two clubs that experienced contrasting results in the opening round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase. FC Porto arrived in Andalusia seeking its first points and goals in the continental tournament after falling 2-0 to Manchester City on Matchday 1, though the team held eight wins from eight matches in the Portuguese top flight, including a 2-1 victory over Marítimo prior to the trip to Spain. Real Betis entered Matchday 2 with three points on the board following a 3-2 comeback victory over Lille in its European opener and a 5-2 domestic win over Osasuna.

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For Spanish midfielder Gabri Veiga, the free-kick goal added to a personal scoring record against the Seville club. While playing for Celta de Vigo in February 2023, Veiga scored twice in a 4-3 away victory over Real Betis in Andalusia.

• Real Betis starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Álvaro Valles; Ángel Ortiz, Marc Bartra, Natan, and Fran García; Marc Roca, Nelson Deossa, and Isco; Antony, Abde Ezzalzouli, and Troy Parrott. Head coach: Manuel Pellegrini.
• Real Betis bench options: Diego Conde, José Antonio Morante, Héctor Bellerín, Diego Llorente, Valentín Gómez, Facundo Bernal, Dani Ceballos, Álvaro Fidalgo, Giovani Lo Celso, Pablo Fornals, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Cucho Hernández.
• FC Porto starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Diogo Costa; Martim Fernandes, Pablo Rosario, Jakub Kiwior, and Francisco Moura; Victor Froholdt, Alan Varela, and Gabri Veiga; Borja Sainz, André Silva, and Pepê. Head coach: Francesco Farioli.
• FC Porto bench options: Cláudio Ramos, Alberto Costa, Nehuén Pérez, Luís Gomes, Zaidu Sanusi, Souza, Hwang In-Beom, João Teixeira, Seko Fofana, Oskar Pietuszewski, Santiago Giménez, and Samu Aghehowa.
• Match officials (France): Referee Clément Turpin, assisted by linesmen Nicolas Danos and Benjamin Pages, fourth official Jérémie Pignard, and VAR official Willy Delajod.
• Venue and kickoff: La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, Spain, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. Lisbon and UK time (9:00 p.m. local time in Spain).

With action still underway in the second half in Seville, the final result of the Matchday 2 clash in the European competition remains undecided.