In Arouca, FC Porto was the one trying the most, but the home team scored the most goals. Losing right from the first minute, Sérgio Conceição's men chased the score, but ended up being surprised by the opponent's counterattacks. 3-2 was the final result in matchday 21. Evanilson and Francisco Conceição scored the goals for the Dragons, who remain third in the table, with 45 points.

The start of the game couldn’t have been worse for the blue and whites, who saw Arouca reach the lead 36 seconds in, through Rafa Mujica. Focused on countering this early goal conceded, the Dragons pushed forward and reached the tie nine minutes in. Galeno received a long ball from Diogo Costa, headed towards Evanilson, who, in the area, was kicked by Robson. Nuno Almeida signalled the penalty, the number 30 took it and made it count.

Determined to win the match, FC Porto turned the game into a one-way street, until, 28 minutes in, from a counter-attack, the opponent put the ball in the area and an inconsequential shot from Jason ended up hitting Pepe's arm. The referee signalled the penalty and Cristo González beat Diogo Costa (2-1). With a quick reply, the blue and whites beat goalkeeper Arruabarrena again – Galeno found Evanilson alone, and the Brazilian forward beat the Uruguayan goalkeeper – but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Minute 42 was grim for the men from Porto. Shortly after Sérgio Conceição was forced to a substitution as Alan Varela picked up an injury (Eustáquio replaced him), neither referee Nuno Almeida nor VAR Luís Ferreira saw an obvious handball from David Simão in the area. After Pepê received a pass from Francisco Conceição, the midfielder tried to beat the Brazilian midfielder, and pushed the ball away, in a clear movement with his arm.

The same happened again in stoppage time, when Robson prevented Wendell's header from going for goal with his arm. The game proceeded without any warning from the VAR, at Cidade do Futebol, and FC Porto reached the break losing 2-1.

The blue and white insistence continued at the start of the second half and, 49 minutes in, only Arruabarrena prevented the ball from going in on two occasions. First, Francisco Conceição took advantage of a shot by Evanilson, deflected by the defence, dribbling an opponent and shooting with power at the near post, but the goalkeeper saved it into a corner. Following the corner-kick, Nico González shot straight at the Uruguayan's chest.

Against the tide, yet again, Arouca extended the lead. A quick free-kick next to the home area placed the ball near Jason, who dribbled Fábio Cardoso and made it 3-1. Sérgio Conceição sent in Taremi, Gonçalo Borges, Toni Martínez and Iván Jaime and the last one was centimetres away from the goal as soon as he went in, but the ball went outside the post.

The blue and whites were still able to reduce the disadvantage 85 minutes in, by Francisco Conceição. Wendell crossed on the left, Fábio Cardoso headed at the near post and, next to the penalty spot, the number 10 made it count. Until the end, Fábio Cardoso saw the second yellow card and was sent-off (90m+6), Toni Martínez was close to the goal before seeing the assistant's flag go up to signal the offside and the result didn’t change (3-2).