A dramatic night in Gelsenkirchen finished with Schalke 04 claiming a 4-3 victory over Sporting Lisbon in Group G on Tuesday night.
Nani gave the visitors an early lead, before Schalke hit back through Chinedu Obasi, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Benedikt Howedes after Sporting's Mauricio had been sent off for two bookable offences.
Adrien Silva reduced the deficit from the spot and levelled the scores with a header from close range, but a controversial penalty allowed Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting to hand Schalke all three points in the 93rd minute.
Below, Sports Mole rates each player's performance on a thrilling evening in the Champions League.
SCHALKE 04
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Goal
Ralf Fahrmann: Nani's miscued effort somehow managed to evade him in the first half, and he was caught out of position for Adrien's second goal. (5/10)
Defence
Atsuto Uchida: Looked lively going forward early on, but failed to provide much of an option for the hosts as the match progressed. (6/10)
Kaan Ayhan: Both Fredy Montero and Andre Carrillo gave the defender problems with their running into the channels. Managed to contribute at the other end with a great cross to set up Howedes. (6/10)
Benedikt Howedes: The most comfortable of the Schalke defenders, who quite often invited pressure with poor decision making. Won everything in the air and scored a crucial third with a fine header. (7/10)
Dennis Aogo: For long spells he only seemed interested in attacking, which left him vulnerable going backwards. Missed the chance to clear the danger before Sporting's third, but fortunately Schalke secured the win late on. (6/10)
Midfield
Roman Neustadter: Often a periphery figure, but broke up play well when Sporting did enjoy extended spells of pressure. (6/10)
Marco Hoger: A typically energetic display from the midfielder as he looked to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Could prove to be a key player for Roberto Di Matteo. (7/10)
Kevin-Prince Boateng: Unable to make an impact in the first half as he struggled to link up with Huntelaar. Removed at the interval after picking up a foot injury. (6/10)
Chinedu Obasi: Lively in the first half with his direct running on the wing and his first-half header came at a vital time. Faded as the game went on before eventually being taken off. (6/10)
Julian Draxler: Always dangerous on the ball and was involved in most of Schalke's impressive moves, but was too often left isolated on the left. (7/10)
Attack
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: The Dutchman can always be trusted in front of goal and he put Schalke ahead with a superb finish. However, he drifted out of the game for long periods when the hosts needed him to retain possession. (6/10)
Substitutes
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: Kept calm to slot home the penalty in the final minute after finding it tough to get involved in the second half. (6/10)
Max Meyer: The teenager was comfortable on the ball and injected some creativity into the Schalke midfield when others around him were tiring. (7/10)
Sindey Sam: Sent on to replace Draxler late on, but didn't make much of an impact. (5/10)
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SPORTING LISBON
Goal
Rui Patricio: Not given much of an opportunity to stop the final three goals, but should have kept out Obasi's header to protect his side's lead. (5/10)
Defence
Cedric: Produced a tireless display to make an impact at both ends of the pitch. Delivered an excellent cross for Adrien's second goal, too. (7/10)
Paulo Oliveira: The Portuguese centre-back deserved something to show for his performance. Battled impressively with Huntelaar, and stayed strong when it looked like Schalke would stroll to victory. (7/10)
Mauricio: He should be apologising to all of his teammates after getting himself sent off for two needless fouls in the first half. Sporting responded well, but it could have been a different story had he stayed on the pitch. (1/10)
Jonathan Silva: Unfortunate to give away a penalty in stoppage time due to a poor refereeing decision. Battled impressively, but too eager to make tackles in dangerous areas. (6/10)
Midfield
William Carvalho: Dominated the midfield in the first half with his aggressive approach, but the game passed him by as he tired after the interval. (6/10)
Adrien Silva: Appeared to have snatched a point for his side with his brace. Always willing to provide support for the attackers and used the ball effectively. (7/10)
Nani: The winger has enjoyed a successful start to his second stint with the club, but only showed his best form in flashes tonight. Created space for himself to open the scoring and led counter-attacks well. (7/10)
Joao Mario: Sacrificed by Marco Silva before the break as Sporting made adjustments following Mauricio's dismissal. (5/10)
Attack
Andre Carrillo: Led the line superbly in the second half as he troubled the hosts with his pace and determination. Proved to be the perfect outlet for Sporting and continued to threaten when he moved to the wing. (8/10)
Islam Slimani: The striker linked well with Carrillo early on before he was forced off in just the 25th minute with an injury. (5/10)
Substitutes
Fredy Montero: The Colombian filled the hole created by Slimani's injury by stretching the game with his pace. However, chances proved to be rare for the forward. (6/10)
Naby Sarr: Never looked completely comfortable after joining his fellow defenders in the first half. Struggled to cope with midfield runners, but avoided any big mistakes. (5/10)
Diego Capel: Introduced late on, but the winger barely had a touch as Schalke snatched all three points in stoppage time. (4/10)
Callum Mulvihill
