PORTO, Portugal (Interstat) — William Gomes scored an early goal and Porto opened its Primeira Liga campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Estoril on Sunday at Estádio do Dragão.

The match, settled by Gomes’ strike in the eighth minute, provided a winning start to the domestic season for the hosts but also highlighted offensive struggles that have followed the team from its preseason preparations.

Porto entered the contest as an overwhelming favorite, with statistical models giving the Dragons a 99.2 percent probability of victory and projecting a more comfortable 2-0 scoreline. The reality proved far more tense, as the single goal from the opening minutes had to stand for the remainder of the match.

The decisive play was a product of Porto’s bench. Substitute Ricard Sánchez, who had just entered the fray, provided the assist on Gomes’ finish, injecting immediate life into the Porto attack.

The goal seemed to signal the start of a dominant performance, but Estoril’s defense settled and the game became a physical, stop-start affair. The first half alone produced four yellow cards, with Porto’s Jordan Holsgrove, Ricard Sánchez, and defender Moura all being cautioned, along with Estoril’s Joel Robles.

Despite controlling possession and being backed by the home crowd, Porto could not find a second goal to ease the pressure. The single-goal margin kept Estoril within reach throughout the second half, though the visitors failed to seriously threaten an equalizer.

The victory improves Porto’s record to 1-0-0 in the Primeira Liga. Across all competitions, the club now stands at 1-1-0. Their previous outing was a 2-1 loss to Inter Miami in a friendly on June 19, preceded by a 0-0 draw with SE Palmeiras on June 15.

For Estoril, the loss marks a difficult start to their league season, dropping their record to 0-1-0 in the competition and 0-1-0 across all matches. They will look to regroup after a performance where their defense, after the early lapse, held firm but their attack was unable to generate a response.

Porto next prepares for its second league fixture, aiming to build on the three points earned while addressing the lack of finishing that prevented a more commanding victory. Estoril will seek its first points and goal of the young season in its upcoming match.