Porto beats Benfica 3-1 to extend Primeira Liga lead

FC Porto defeated Benfica 3-1 at the Estadio do Dragao in the first Clasico of the 2026-27 Primeira Liga season. The victory extends Porto's perfect start to seven wins and opens a five-point gap over their rivals in second place.

Benfica started brightly and controlled the opening 20 minutes, but Porto took the lead against the run of play. The match turned decisively in the 15th minute of first-half stoppage time when Benfica defender Lenglet received a second yellow card for a challenge on Andre Silva, reducing the visitors to ten men.

“There is a tremendous duality of criteria, especially in the disciplinary factor.”

Porto struggled to impose themselves immediately after the break, but Viktor Hojlund restored their lead in the 51st minute. Hwang Hee-chan added a third shortly after to seal the win, cancelling out Benfica's temporary equaliser.

Porto arrived with the league's best defence, having conceded only two goals in six matches, while Benfica boasted the most potent attack with 21 goals scored. Gabri Veiga contributed three goals and three assists for Porto before being substituted at half-time due to leg spasms, while Pavlidis led the league scoring charts with eight goals for Benfica.

Benfica president Rui Costa criticised a "tremendous duality of criteria" in refereeing decisions, specifically comparing the Lenglet dismissal to other unpunished incidents. Coach Marco Silva acknowledged the red card changed the game but refused to blame the officiating for the defeat.

Porto manager Francesco Farioli praised his team's spirit and reaction after conceding the equaliser, though he admitted the side lost shape briefly after the red card. He dismissed suggestions of "strange things" regarding the officiating, stating the result was fair.