Mora the man as Porto hang on to edge Stuttgart away in first leg of last-16 tie

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vfb-stuttgart/nJQmYp1B/"]Stuttgart[/a] actually started off the better side, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/demirovic-ermedin/dIsZ5Eyb/"]Ermedin Demirovic[/a] aimed to add to his goal against Mainz last weekend with an ambitious acrobatic effort that flew over.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-khannous-bilal/Ui6gj3Cl/"]Bilal El Khannouss[/a] came closer to scoring with a free-kick that whistled past the post, before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leweling-jamie/UTtpcjym/"]Jamie Leweling[/a] finally tested [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diogo-costa/hC31Ab0c/"]Diogo Costa[/a] from range.[/p][p]In a real end-to-end affair, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/william-gomes/v1KRIiNj/"]William Gomes[/a] then came within the width of the crossbar from hitting double figures for this season.[/p][p][b]The disappointment was short-lived, though, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-porto/S2NmScGp/"]Porto[/a] soon took the lead when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moffi-teremas/ny2HpVKp/"]Terem Moffi[/a] combined well with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sainz-borja/SzitpUuB/"]Borja Sainz[/a] before unleashing a strike beyond the helpless [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nubel-alexander/Igk6vzlT/"]Alexander Nubel[/a].[/b][/p][embed guid="2c034d42-e547-4666-84d0-9df789d2a57f" url="https://x.com/FCPorto/status/2032165796877660338" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Moffi was then denied a quickfire brace by Nubel’s reactions, but Porto would eventually strike again through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mora-rodrigo/rFpsoDia/"]Mora[/a], who coolly slotted home [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaidu/Wr0Iog1G/"]Zaidu Sanusi[/a]’s cross. [/b][/p][p][b]However, Stuttgart managed to pull a goal back before the break, though through the ever-reliable [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/undav-deniz/tUHAdtMH/"]Deniz Undav[/a], who did well to outmuscle [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thiago-silva/xAsJbgXA/"]Thiago Silva[/a] before reversing the ball into the far corner.[/b][/p][p]The setback did not seem to affect Porto much, though, as they pushed for a third in the second half, and Zaidu, who assisted Mora’s goal in the first, really should have joined him on the scoresheet as his close-range header was collected easily by Nubel.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="5ab17020-2d3c-4014-9e2e-7584f64c8f00" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="04ab061e-8ed1-4c80-a50c-c37c3ece17c9" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]Substitute Pepe also posed a threat as he cut inside before firing just wide. However, Stuttgart were almost level against the run of play when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stiller-angelo/0hF2GIXS/"]Angelo Stiller[/a] poked home following a free-kick, but his goal was disallowed.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fuhrich-chris/bczcNJFB/"]Chris Fuhrich[/a] forced Costa into a smart save late on, but unfortunately for the Swabians, they could not find the net again, meaning it is just one win in five now in all competitions for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tounekti-sebastian/Cbq96pm8/"]Sebastian Hoeness[/a]’ men (D2, L2).[/p][p]After claiming victory in this inaugural meeting against Stuttgart, Porto have now won four straight European games played on German soil, and will be massive favourites to progress, as they look to lift Europe’s secondary club trophy for a third time in their history.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mora-rodrigo/rFpsoDia/"]Rodrigo Mora[/a] (Porto)[/b][/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="3f5986a0-8375-43ac-a8c5-806594881e51" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="2af8269a-d1c9-437c-8900-2ae601b838ab" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fc-porto-S2NmScGp/stuttgart-nJQmYp1B/summary/stats/?mid=Iep18ueA"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]