Real had substitute Karim Benzema to thank for all three points as he came off the bench to down Sporting’s 10 men with a fine finish from Sergio Ramos’s cross. Raphael Varane had fired Real into a first-half lead, but Sporting captain Adrien Silva levelled from the penalty spot after Joao Pereira had seen a straight red card. Real still need to beat Borussia Dortmund at home in two weeks’ time to top Group F after the Germans thrashed Legia Warsaw 8-4. Sporting needed to win to keep any chance of qualifying for the last 16 alive with Dortmund already having qualified. Cesar’s strike at the Bernabeu in September looked set to hand Sporting a famous victory until a remarkable late fightback inspired by a Ronaldo free-kick saw Real snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Source: Manila Times November 23, 2016 14:03 UTC