Teen prodigy Mora’s 89th-minute strike hands Porto win over Red Star

A roar rolled across the Douro moments before the final whistle when an 18-year-old from Matosinhos slipped free of his marker and steered the ball into the top corner. The Estádio do Dragão exploded, FC Porto snatched a 2-1 victory from what had looked like an exasperating draw with Red Star Belgrade, and thousands of supporters floated home convinced they had just witnessed the birth of a new European night folklore.

Late drama lifts the Dragão

The scoreboard still showed 89 minutes when Rodrigo Mora met Pepê’s low cross, but by then Porto supporters were already bracing for a frustrating evening. William Gomes had put the hosts in front from the penalty spot after only eight minutes, however Vasilije Kostov silenced the stands half an hour later with a crisp equaliser that punished a rare lapse in Sérgio Conceição’s back line. From that moment the Serbian champions dug in, slowed the rhythm and dared Porto to break them down. The answer finally arrived when Mora’s right boot found a sliver of space, sending the ball whistling behind goalkeeper Miladin Popović and sealing a second straight Europa League win for a side that now leads its section with 6 points from six.

Mora’s meteoric rise from Matosinhos to continental spotlight

For those who have tracked youth football in northern Portugal, the name Rodrigo Mora de Carvalho has felt inevitable for years. At 1.68 m he compensates for modest stature with a centre of gravity that lets him pivot away from defenders in a blink. Porto scouts first spotted him at Custóias/Dragon Force aged eight; within a decade he had already set two Portuguese league records — youngest professional debutant and youngest goal-scorer in the second tier. A contract running to 2030, a €70 M release clause and an estimated €40 M market value testify to the club’s faith that his skill set — two-footed dribbling, late-box arrivals and uncanny spatial awareness — is the real thing. Wednesday’s winner was his first in the Europa League and 13th for the senior side, yet it felt heavier than any that preceded it.

Why the points matter beyond Group G arithmetic

Portugal’s coefficient has slipped just enough in recent seasons to make every European win precious. Conceição’s men already edged Shakhtar last week, and back-to-back victories create breathing room before November trips to colder climates. Should Porto finish top, they bypass the February play-off round, an advantage that could shape domestic ambitions when the Primeira Liga title race tightens after Christmas. Benfica’s wobbles in the Champions League and Sporting’s mixed Conference League start further sharpen the national focus on FC Porto’s continental campaign. A prolonged run keeps money flowing, ranking points rising and, perhaps most urgent in times of stringent Financial Fair Play checks, the shop window open for young talents who command premium fees abroad.

The academy conveyor belt keeps humming

From Rúben Neves to Diogo Costa, Porto’s youth system has long turned promise into profit without sacrificing silverware. Mora is merely the latest headline act, joined by Gonçalo Ribeiro in goal and winger André Silva pushing for minutes off the bench. The club doubled investment in data-led scouting during the pandemic, partly to offset growing Premier League purchasing power. Coaches now speak of a “45-game learning curve” young prospects must complete before they are trusted on European nights — Mora hit the benchmark last month. If he continues on this trajectory, Porto may soon be negotiating another triple-digit transfer, repeating the blueprint that financed the current stadium expansion and training-ground upgrades in Gaia.

What happens next

The Dragões have little time to savour the result. A tricky league visit to Vizela arrives on Sunday, then a domestic cup tie at Rio Ave precedes the return Europa League fixture in Belgrade on 30 October. Conceição hinted at carefully rotating his squad but confirmed Mora “earned the right to keep his place”. For supporters, that is music to the ears: every minute the teenager spends on the pitch feels like another step toward the club’s next golden chapter. And if last-gasp strikes become a habit, Porto’s neighbours may soon be setting alarm clocks for the 89th minute whenever number 86 pulls on the blue-and-white stripes.