European Champions League

Real Madrid 2 – Sporting Lisbon 1

Madrid: Kiko Casilla; Dani Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos (James 77‘); Bale (Lucas Vázquez 67’), Benzema (Morata 67’), Ronaldo. 4-3-3.
Sporting: Rui Patricio; Joao Pereira, Coates, Semedo, Marvin Zeegelaar; William Carvalho; Gelson Martins (Markovic 70’), Adrien Silva (Elías 73’), Bruno Cesar; Bryan Ruiz (Joel Campbell 92’), Dost. 4-4-2.

Goals:
0-1. 47. Bruno César. Latched on to loose ball and curled shot wide of Casilla.
1-1. 89. Ronaldo. Free kick from outside of area which keeper pushed in off post.
2-1. 94. Morata. Got on the end of James cross to steer header past Rui Patrico.

Yellow cards: Adrien Silva 38’, Carvalho 56’, Zeegelaar 64’, Kroos 75’.

Real Madrid left it late, but two goals in the last five minutes gave them a 2-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday night. The Portuguese side had the better of the first half, Bruno César shooting wide in the first minute and Gelson causing some problems for Kiko Casilla and his defence. Bale tested Rui Patrico a couple of times, and the keeper had to be on his toes to tip a wickedly swerving shot from Cristiano Ronaldo over the bar, but a couple of minutes in to the second half Bruno César fired the visitors in to the lead after Bryan Ruíz poked the ball through to him. Dani Carvajal hooked a shot just past the post and Ronaldo turned an effort late on against the upright though. And with two minutes of normal time remaining Ronaldo won himself a free kick on the edge of the area, and curled in a shot which the keeper could only push on to the post and in to the net, the forward refusing to celebrate the goal out of deference to his old club. Madrid didn’t give up there though, and some five minutes later Morata forced a header past Rui Patrico from a James centre to tie up an epic victory.