FC Porto began this league season by winning, and they have not stopped. On 10 October they beat Maritimo 1-2 in Maritimo vs FC Porto, making it eight league wins from eight, but this was the sort of night that trims away any talk of routine dominance. The winner came in the 84th minute, and it needed VAR to confirm that Oskar Pietuszewski was one centimetre behind the last defender.

The late moment that decided it

Porto's start to the season has mostly been about control. They are top with 21 points and a +15 goal difference, so the broader trend is clear enough without dressing this game up as a crisis.

Still, this was a reminder that perfect runs often survive on tiny margins. Pietuszewski's late finish was initially disallowed, only for the review to reverse it. Quoted in Portuguese by A Bola, in comments translated from Portuguese, the report stated: "The move was immediately ruled out for offside, but the VAR showed that the Polish international was one centimetre behind the last defender."

That detail is the whole point of the game. Porto did get the three points they were expected to take against an opponent sitting 11th, but they were much closer to a frustrating draw than the table might suggest.

Vieites nearly drags Maritimo through it

A lot of that came down to Francisco Vieites. Maritimo's goalkeeper made seven saves, and five of them came from shots inside the box. Porto created enough pressure to win the match earlier, but Vieites kept delaying the outcome.

Quoted in Spanish by Estadio Deportivo, in comments translated from Spanish, the report said: "He produced a total of seven saving stops, five of them from shots from inside the box, to which he added two punches clear and two quick rushes out into open field to cut off two visiting attacks."

That performance gave Maritimo a genuine chance of taking something from the game, and it also explains why Porto needed the winner to arrive so late. When a goalkeeper is stopping efforts from close range and sweeping up danger outside his area, territory alone is not enough.

Porto's depth got them through another awkward night

The match also made sense in the context of Francesco Farioli's selection. With a trip to Real Betis in mind, he initially held back several important players rather than rotating the whole side. Porto also had to adjust when William Gomes went off in the 55th minute after twisting his right ankle while pressing the goalkeeper.

Farioli reacted again at half-time, replacing Alan Varela with Pablo Rosario to add more muscle in midfield. That sort of management does not make a one-centimetre VAR call any less dramatic, but it does help explain why Porto looked like a strong side having to work through an awkward game rather than a team suddenly losing its grip.

The bigger read from this result is straightforward: Porto are not just collecting wins when everything clicks. They have now won eight league matches from eight, and this one came with a late review, a goalkeeper in outstanding form and a European trip to Betis around the corner.

FAQ

How did FC Porto beat Maritimo in such a tight game?

Porto won 2-1 at Maritimo on 10 October 2026, but needed an 84th-minute winner from Oskar Pietuszewski after a VAR review. The goal stood because he was confirmed to be one centimetre behind the last defender. Porto had controlled plenty of the season before this game, yet Maritimo stayed alive thanks largely to Fran Vieites' seven saves.

Why was the VAR decision in FC Porto vs Maritimo such a big talking point?

The decisive moment came when Pietuszewski's late goal was first ruled out for offside, then allowed after VAR checked the phase. A Bola reported that the review showed the Polish international was one centimetre behind the last defender. In a match Porto won 2-1, that tiny margin settled the result and preserved their perfect league start.

Are FC Porto really making the Primeira Liga title race look one-sided already?

Porto have won all eight of their league matches and sit first on 21 points with a +15 goal difference. Those numbers point to a strong start, but this match also showed they are not just cruising through every week. Against Maritimo, they had to wait until the 84th minute and rely on a VAR check to get over the line.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →