Porto progress after thrilling Beşiktaş draw

FC Porto are through to the UEFA Europa League round of 32 with two games to spare despite their perfect Group L record being ended by a stunning Nihat Kahveci equaliser for Beşiktaş JK.

Falcao had given Porto a deserved first-half lead from the penalty spot but Cristián Rodríguez's sending off before the hour proved costly. Within three minutes Nihat had equalised and although İbrahim Toraman was also dismissed, Beşiktaş now hold a four-point cushion in second over SK Rapid Wien and PFC CSKA Sofia.

Porto were without Maicon and Fernando after their red cards in the 3-1 win in Istanbul but visiting goalkeeper Hakan Arıkan was soon reacquainted with the threat of the goalscorers that day. Hulk forced the keeper to save following a free-kick and then played through Falcao, denied by Ersan Gülüm's brilliant challenge.

It was not long before Falcao kept up his record of scoring in all Porto's group games, beating the goalkeeper from the spot having been brought down by Hakan. Porto's pressure did not let up after the interval, Rodríguez's angled shot testing Hakan, who then denied Hulk at close range.

It was an off-the-ball incident that earned Rodríguez his second yellow card in the 59th minute, but that moment changed the game. Half-time substitute Filip Hološko immediately went close for the visitors and Nihat then let fly from distance to brilliantly equalise.

Four minutes later İbrahim Toraman was booked for the second time after a sliding challenge but still Beşiktaş pressed; notably Bobô's effort from just outside the centre circle which dropped onto the crossbar. At the other end Ersan acrobatically cleared Rúben Micael's effort off the line. The excitement continued until the final whistle but Porto are through and Beşiktaş can join them with victory at CSKA Sofia on 2 December.