With this first knockout round tie delicately balanced in Porto's favour before the second leg at Old Trafford in two weeks' time, Mourinho revelled in an important win for the UEFA Cup holders at their new Estadio do Dragao.
"We were much better than them, but they still have some of the best players in the world and are one of the best teams in the world," Mourinho said.
"What I will promise is that we will not go to Manchester and play defensive football," said the Portuguese coach, who once worked as a translator for Newcastle United boss Bobby Robson.
A night that started so well for United with an early goal from Quinton Fortune ended badly in defeat and with skipper Roy Keane being red carded three minutes from time after appearing to follow through on Porto keeper Vitor Baia.
United manager Alex Ferguson admitted: "It was a disappointing night for us...I don't think we deserved anything more than what we got.
HAPPY ESCAPE
"I am happy to have escaped with 2-1. We had a really good start to the match and let it slip away from us."
As for Keane's red-card incident, Ferguson said: "It is not the type of thing Roy would do, but if you ask me the goalkeeper made a meal of it. I think he made more of it than it really was."
Mourinho said: "Baia told me that Keane kicked him."
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Ferguson became the first man to coach a side in 100 Champions League matches as United joined Real Madrid as the second club to play 100 games in the competition.
The Scot praised Porto's South African striker Benni McCarthy, whose two goals gave his side their victory.
"I was just looking at the video of his second goal. It was an incredible header, an absolutely fantastic header -- there is nothing you can do about something like that," he said.
Looking ahead to the return leg, Ferguson added: "We did not play well tonight, but we still have a good chance in the return, even Porto recognise that."