Plzen, known worldwide for the origin of pilsener, that cold and light beer that so many enjoy, was the stage where FC Porto wanted to take a step forward in the Europa League. However, on this cool (freezing!) night in the Czech city, the dragon's fire did not heat up enough to serve another victorious European journey. Not even playing with anyone else for the entire second half. Not even with another penalty, which Samu wasted to make it 1-1 just before the break, after Vydra's expulsion. However, the end was not that bitter: Deniz gave him a Gül(oso) touch and avoided defeat in the 90th minute. Gul's missile to make the dragons draw 🚀#sporttvportugal #EUROPAnaSPORTTV #UEFAEuropaLeague #ViktoriaPlzen #FCPorto #TrustBetano #BetanoUEL pic.twitter.com/ws45Ks8fuT — sport tv (@sporttvportugal) January 22, 2026 FC Porto remains firm in the race to reach the round of 16 (they are ranked seventh with 14 points, before the 8pm games). And, even more than that, it avoids overtaking Viktoria Plzen, who recorded their fourth consecutive draw in the league phase, has not yet been at a disadvantage (!) in the competition and is, alongside Friburgo and Ferencváros, one of the teams that has not yet lost. Czech effectiveness soon to open Playing on the counter, the person who served himself as soon as he opened it was… Cerv. Lukas Cerv. After just six minutes - Plzen's machine had barely worked yet - the Czech international midfielder scored a great goal that was close to winning. A well taken shot. Like, in those parts, you want a good beer. It all started with a mistake by Kiwior delaying a ball to Diogo Costa. Lukás Cerv scores the first for the Czechs 😟#sporttvportugal #EUROPAnaSPORTTV #UEFAEuropaLeague #TrustBetano #betanouel pic.twitter.com/IdRx32pvLz — sport tv (@sporttvportugal) January 22, 2026 After Guimarães, FC Porto tried to pass another Viktoria's home, but it wasn't an easy task. With four changes in the eleven (entry of Bednarek, Pablo Rosario, Rodrigo Mora and William Gomes) the first half was far from showing a great FC Porto, somewhat permissive in the Czechs' exits and conceding spaces. An FC Porto with a less accomplished look, as we have seen on other nights in the Europa League version. And it was Viktoria, already ahead, who gave two warnings, through Kabongo and Memic, which gave the full-backs headaches. In the middle, Borja Sainz had the clearest opportunity to score after 1-0, but wasted it in the face of Wiegele, at a stage in which FC Porto was showing a little more fluidity in the game. Penalty and tears from Samu and Gül serving the equalizer And if Borja's moment could have launched the Dragon to another level in the game, what about what happened at the break? However, if Vydra was sent off after a penalty awarded to FC Porto using VAR, Samu – as in Guimarães – did not take, for the second game in a row, a penalty that would have made it 1-1 before the break. And that would give, with numerical superiority to the second part, another boost. The night would end in tears after the final whistle. Penalty for FC Porto and expulsion for Viktoria Plzen but Samu can't make it happen 😟#sporttvportugal #EUROPAnaSPORTTV #UEFAEuropaLeague #TrustBetano #betanouel pic.twitter.com/WwueWhSyJI — sport tv (@sporttvportugal) January 22, 2026 In the second half, with Pepê, later with Gabri Veiga and Francisco Moura and, finally, with Alan Varela and Deniz Gül for the last 20 minutes (Pablo Rosario ended the game at right-back), FC Porto spent a long time in the opposite midfield. But he ran into a cohesive wall set up by the Czechs. It wasn't there due to fluidity in exchanging the ball, it was there due to strength and will, seven seconds from the 90. FC Porto had already threatened a couple of times through Gül and in a goal from Moura that only didn't count because Samu touched the ball with his arm, when the Turkish international received a cross from Kiwior, swung over Cerv... and served a equalizer that, far from being ideal, is precious before the reception to Rangers at Dragão. Samu felt the missed penalty 😔#sporttvportugal #EUROPAnaSPORTTV #UEFAEuropaLeague #TrustBetano #BetanoUEL pic.twitter.com/4F3DUS0ZKS — sport tv (@sporttvportugal) January 22, 2026