FC Porto beat Napoli 4-1 in a match shaped by dead-ball quality and one late lapse in discipline. Scott McTominay still found a way to score for Napoli, but Jan Bednarek, Gabri Veiga and a red card for Rafa Marín turned a competitive game into a one-sided result.

Set pieces did most of the damage

Bednarek opened the scoring in the 11th minute from a Gabri Veiga corner, which set the tone immediately. Porto kept attacking the same weakness, and Jakub Kiwior scored in the 80th minute from another corner before Marín was sent off in the 88th minute.

That is where Napoli lost control of the game. They had already levelled through McTominay in the 43rd minute, but Porto kept finding cleaner chances from set pieces than Napoli could deal with.

Veiga was in the middle of it again when he scored in the 71st minute after setting up the opener. He now has five assists for the season, and this was a night when Porto kept getting value from his delivery and movement.

McTominay keeps scoring in Europe

McTominay’s goal was a bright spot in a bad night for Napoli. It was his third Champions League goal this season in three appearances, and it came at a stage when the visitors still had a route back into the match.

The problem was everything around it. Napoli finished with a 4-1 defeat, and the margin was built by goals from set plays and the red card that arrived with two minutes left in normal time. Marín’s dismissal only confirmed how far the match had drifted from Napoli.

Porto also needed this kind of result. They were still 35th in the Champions League standings before this win, so the performance matters as much for their European mood as for the scoreline itself.

The bigger takeaway is not subtle. Porto found a repeatable route through corners, McTominay continued his scoring run, and Napoli left FC Porto vs Napoli with another reminder that their set-piece defending needs work before the next Champions League round.

FAQ

Why did Napoli lose 4-1 to FC Porto?

Napoli were hurt by set-piece defending and a late red card. Jan Bednarek scored in the 11th minute from a Gabri Veiga corner, Scott McTominay levelled in the 43rd, Veiga put Porto back ahead in the 71st, Jakub Kiwior scored from another corner in the 80th, and Rafa Marín was sent off in the 88th.

How many Champions League goals does Scott McTominay have this season?

McTominay has three Champions League goals this season in three appearances. He scored in the 43rd minute against Porto, and his recent European form has been one of the few bright spots for Napoli.

What role did Gabri Veiga play in Porto's win over Napoli?

Veiga was central to Porto’s attack. He took the corner for Jan Bednarek’s opener, scored in the 71st minute, and has five assists for the season, showing why Porto kept finding him in dangerous moments.

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