Viktoria Plzen 1-1 Porto: Portuguese Giants Share Points Away at Czech Republic As Deniz Gul Scores 90th-Minute Equalizer

A truly dramatic night in the Europa League 2025/26 as Viktoria Plzen and Porto play out a 1-1 stalemate. Viktoria Plzeň stormed into an early lead, looking set to cause a massive upset.

However, the game completely flipped on its head just before halftime. A moment of madness from Matej Vydra saw him sent off for a handball, but the resulting penalty was shockingly missed by Samu Aghehowa.

What stood out to us was the sheer resilience of the home side's resilience even with 10 men on the pitch. FC Porto laid siege to their goal for the entire second half.

Their goalkeeper, Florian Wiegele, was nothing short of sensational, pulling off save after save. It felt like one of those nights where the ball just wouldn't go in for the visitors.

But the beautiful game always delivers a final twist. Just when it seemed Viktoria Plzeň would hold on for a historic win, substitute Deniz Gül popped up for the visitors.

He scored a last-gasp equaliser to break the hearts of the home fans and became the saviour for Porto on a dramatic UEFA Europa League night.

Here are the Viktoria Plzen vs Porto Player Ratings.

Key Takeaways

• Florian Wiegele was a standout performer for the hosts, producing a series of crucial saves that kept his team in the game despite intense Porto pressure.
• Coming off the bench, Deniz Gül was named man of the match after scoring a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser to salvage a 1–1 draw.
• While Porto dominated possession and created many chances, several forwards, including Samu Aghehowa, missed key opportunities. Viktoria Plzen also showed resilience and quality in midfield, but their captain, Matej Vydra’s red card proved to be costly.

Porto Player Ratings vs Viktoria Plzeň

Have a look at the Porto Player Ratings from the Viktoria Plzen vs Porto Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Diogo Costa - 6.5: We barely noticed him for large parts of the game. He couldn't have done anything about the spectacular opening goal. Made one important save in the second half to keep his team in it. A quiet evening for the captain overall.

Defenders

Jakub Kiwior - 7.5: An excellent all-round display. He was a threat going forward, even hitting the woodwork with a decent effort. He capped his performance by providing the vital assist for the equalizer. Defensively he was strong, winning his duels and looking composed. A really impressive showing.

Jan Bednarek - 6.0: A bit of a mixed performance from our perspective. He was tidy enough with the ball but seemed to struggle physically. Lost far too many duels for a central defender. The yellow card he picked up was clumsy and unnecessary.

Alberto Costa - 6.5: He had some bright moments before being substituted. He was positive in possession and tried to create opportunities from the back. A solid, if unspectacular, hour of football from him. His substitution was a clear tactical switch.

Martim Fernandes - 7.0: What stood out was his energy down the right flank. He was a willing runner and won the majority of his battles, which was impressive. He put in some good crosses and was a constant outlet. A very positive display.

Midfielders

Victor Froholdt - 6.5: A classic workhorse performance in the middle of the park. He did a lot of the dirty work, recovering the ball seven times. He kept his passing simple and effective. He didn't offer much of a creative spark, but he didn't need to.

Pablo Rosario - 6.0: An average display. He passed the ball with good accuracy and wasn't afraid to put a tackle in. However, he also gave away some needless fouls and deserved his booking. Did his job but didn't exactly shine.

Rodrigo Mora - 6.0: Showed flashes of his quality in the first half with a shot on target. We felt he faded from the game pretty quickly after that. It wasn't a surprise to see him taken off when the manager needed more attacking threat.

Forwards

William Gomes - 5.5: It was a frustrating night for the attacker. He tried to get involved but his touch let him down too often, losing possession 14 times. The final ball just wasn't there for him. A disappointing evening's work.

Samu Aghehowa - 5.0: A night he will want to forget immediately. The missed penalty was a colossal moment that could have turned the tide much earlier. On top of that, he missed other huge chances. To be fair he got into the positions, but his finishing was shockingly poor.

Borja Sainz - 5.5: Started with a couple of shots that tested the keeper. After that, he was completely anonymous. We weren't surprised at all when he was substituted at halftime. He offered very little.

Substitutes

Deniz Gül - 8.0: The highest-rated player and our man of the match. He came on and completely changed the dynamic. He was a livewire from the start and took his goal like a seasoned poacher. A brilliant, game-saving cameo.

Pepê - 7.0: Added some much-needed quality and urgency after his introduction. He looked to create and was a key part of Porto's second-half dominance.

Gabri Veiga - 6.5: Provided a creative touch, setting up a great chance and looking comfortable on the ball. A decent contribution.

Francisco Moura - 6.0: Brought on to add more attacking width and delivered a good ball that led to a chance.

Alan Varela - N/A: Didn't have enough time to make an impact.

Manager

F. Farioli - 7.0: His team looked lost in the first half, but he deserves credit for the second-half response. His substitutions were spot on, especially the introduction of Deniz Gül. He correctly identified what was needed, and his changes earned his team a point.

Viktoria Plzeň Player Ratings vs Porto

Have a look at the Viktoria Plzeň Player Ratings from the Viktoria Plzen vs Porto Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Florian Wiegele - 8.0: An absolutely colossal performance. He made seven saves, some of them genuinely world-class, to keep his ten-man team ahead for so long. He was commanding, brave, and was cruelly denied a clean sheet at the death. A heroic effort.

Defenders

K. Spáčil - 7.0: A true warrior's performance. He threw his body on the line time and again, racking up an incredible 13 clearances. He was under immense pressure but never hid. He struggled in the air at times but his determination was fantastic.

Merchas Doski - 7.0: Very impressive. Not only was he solid defensively, but he was a real threat going forward, creating three chances. His delivery was a constant weapon for his team. A great two-way performance.

Cheick Souaré - 6.0: It was a tough night to be a defender, and he struggled under the relentless pressure. He made a few important clearances but was sometimes sloppy in possession. A difficult, but hardworking, shift.

Midfielders

Lukas Cerv - 7.5: What a goal! He opened the scoring with a stunning strike from distance. Beyond that, he worked his socks off for the team. He was a disruptive force in midfield and a key reason for their early success.

Christophe Kabongo - 6.0: Looked decent enough before his evening was cruelly cut short by an injury. A shame we didn't get to see more from him.

Matej Valenta - 7.5: A fantastic all-round midfield display. He provided the clever assist for the goal and was immense defensively, making five tackles. From our perspective, he covered every blade of grass and was crucial to his team's structure.

Amar Memic - 5.5: He worked hard but the quality just wasn't there. He lost possession far too easily and was weak in the duel, winning only two of seven. Had a couple of wayward shots but failed to make a real impact.

Forwards

Denis Visinsky - 6.5: He looked like a real threat with his pace in the first half. He created a good chance and got into some dangerous positions. Unsurprisingly, he was sacrificed for a more defensive player after the red card.

Tomas Ladra - 7.0: He was excellent before his injury. He created three chances and was the focal point of their attack, linking play brilliantly. A tireless worker who his team really missed after he went off.

Matej Vydra - 3.0: A moment of pure madness from the captain and the worst performer on the pitch. To concede a penalty and get a straight red card for handball was inexcusable. He completely let his teammates down and ruined their chances of a famous victory.

Substitutes

Prince Adu - 6.5: Came on and caused some problems with his energy, though he did get booked.

Milan Havel - 6.0: Brought on to add defensive stability and did his job adequately.

Adrian Zeljkovic - N/A: Not on long enough to be rated.

Manager

M. Hysky - 7.0: His initial game plan worked to perfection as his team took the lead. After the disastrous red card, he organized his side into a formidable defensive block that almost pulled off a miracle. He can be proud of his team's fight, if not the final result.

Man of the Match

Sportsdunia's man of the match goes to FC Porto's Deniz Gul.

Worst Performer

Matej Vydra was the worst performer in this Viktoia Plzen vs Porto encounter.