FC Porto secured its first victory in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase with a 4-1 win over Napoli, aided by an assist from South Korean national team midfielder Hwang In-beom.
Porto defeated the Italian club at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal, on Wednesday.
It was the first time Porto had scored at least three goals in a Champions League match since its 5-3 victory over Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine in December 2023.
After losing its first three league-phase matches, Porto improved to one win and three losses with three points and a goal difference of minus one. It moved into 26th place, ahead of Napoli, which also has three points but sits 27th with a goal difference of minus five.
Hwang began the match on the bench.
Porto took the lead in the 11th minute when Jan Bednarek headed home a corner kick from Gabri Veiga.
However, Napoli equalized through Scott McTominay in the 43rd minute, sending the teams into halftime tied 1-1.
The match remained closely contested in the second half until Veiga, who had assisted the opening goal, scored on a counterattack in the 71st minute to restore Porto‘s lead at 2-1.
Porto substituted Hwang for Veiga in the 78th minute, and the South Korean midfielder made an immediate impact.
Just two minutes after entering the field, Hwang delivered a corner kick that Jakub Kiwior headed into the net, extending Porto’s lead to 3-1.
South Korea‘s interim national team head coach Robert Moreno, who was in Europe to assess players ahead of two international matches in November, watched the game from the stands.
The assist marked Hwang’s first goal contribution in four Champions League league-phase appearances this season.
Hwang now has one goal and two assists in all competitions this season, including one goal and one assist in the Portuguese league and one assist in the Champions League.
Porto was awarded a penalty after Napoli defender Rafa Marin committed a foul inside the penalty area in the 88th minute and was sent off.
Samu Aghehowa converted the penalty in the 90th minute to complete the 4-1 victory.
Meanwhile, South Korean defender Lee Han-beom, who plays for Club Brugge of Belgium, did not feature in his team‘s 2-1 away victory over PSV Eindhoven at Philips Stadion in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, on Wednesday.
Brugge has won three consecutive Champions League matches since losing its opener, improving to three wins and one loss with nine points and moving into ninth place.
PSV dropped to 24th with one win, one draw and two losses for four points.
(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)
