Only a win would do for either side to stand a realistic chance of finishing inside the top 24, so it was a surprise to see a cagey and drab first half in Belgrade, particularly with goal difference also likely to come into play by the end of the night.
The momentum slightly favoured Porto, for whom qualification looked far more achievable than for their opponents, but they weren’t able to make any of their pressure count in a half featuring just a couple of speculative efforts from the men in blue and white.
It took 40 minutes for Maccabi to register a shot, but Dor Turgeman’s wayward attempt ended up being the nearest either side came in the opening period.
Things began to improve after the restart though, and the visitors should perhaps have taken the lead when Joao Mario played in Danny Namaso, but the Englishman could only roll beyond the far post.
That turned out to be a warning shot, and it wasn’t long before Joao Mario swung in another cross, which this time flicked in off the head of Nico Gonzalez for the opener.
That served to awaken Maccabi, who were unfortunate not to restore parity just moments later when Osher Davida’s curling shot cannoned off the crossbar.
The handful of home supporters present did their very best to spur their side on to more of the same, and Porto were fortunate that Otavio didn’t deflect Stav Lemkin’s flicked attempt past Diogo Costa.
Even more luck was on the visitors’ side late on as well, with Dor Peretz denied a leveller for Maccabi due to straying offside.
There was to be no dream turnaround for Zarko Lazetic’s men, and his Porto counterpart Anselmi thus delivered a first win of the year to end a five-match winless run.
Thanks to results elsewhere, it takes Porto comfortably into the play-off round, where they will face either AS Roma or Viktoria Plzen.
In contrast, it was always going to be tricky for Maccabi to qualify, and they can at least now focus on defending their Israeli Premier League title as they face fellow challengers Beitar Jerusalem on Monday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Joao Mario (FC Porto)