last 16 - match report second leg

Schalke into quarter-finals after penalty shoot-out

A highly dramatic game of football ended amid scenes of unbridled joy in the visitors' section of the Estadio do Dragao as the Royal Blues progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League after overcoming FC Porto 4-1 on penalties! An 86th minute strike by Lisandro Lopez had cancelled out Schalke's first-leg advantage and taken the game to extra-time. "It's an exceptional success for the club and the players", said coach Mirko Slomka after the final whistle.

Schalke had to work hard for their win, though, and were reliant on some good fortune and an outstanding Manuel Neuer. But first things first: Slomka's main priority was to keep a clean sheet for as long as possible while attempting to sneak an away goal. He therefore opted for a 4-4-1-1 formation which saw the return of Halil Altintop in the role of withdrawn striker. The Turkey international was asked to disrupt Porto's build-up play, a role he fulfilled with some tireless running.

Nevertheless the home side could well have cancelled out Kevin Kuranyi's first-leg goal early on. But Neuer produced two brilliant saves to deny Lisandro Lopez (12') and Tarek Sektioui (13'). "Porto were very strong opponents, both technically and in their movement going forward. That caused us several problems", said Slomka. "While Porto had their chances our back four played very well."

Schalke allowed Porto few opportunities after weathering the early storm, but were unable to mount a threat of their own. After the break Sektioui ought to have given Porto the lead in the 57th minute, only for Neuer to block his effort with his foot from point-blank range. As the game wore on, however, gaps began to appear in the Porto rearguard and they enjoyed a huge slice of luck on 66 when the onrushing Helton used his hands outside the penalty area to block Altintop's goalbound effort. But to Schalke's dismay no penalty was awarded. Indeed, referee Howard Webb was very slow to blow his whistle and generally penalised any physical contact with Ricardo Quaresma with a free-kick.

Yet a decision by the Englishman it was that seemed to have turned the game in Schalke's favour. Fucile's red card for a foul on Levan Kobiashvili in the 83rd minute was harsh to say the least. Minutes later, though, Lopez ensured the game went into extra-time with a fine strike from the edge of the area. Substitute Gerald Asamoah could have settled the game for Schalke just before the end of normal time, but was denied by Helton.

"We almost achieved our objective and played very well for 86 minutes", said Slomka, whose main task in the break before extra-time was to counter the psychological shock at conceding such a late goal. "It was plain for all to see that some heads were dropping even though nothing was lost. We had to shake the players out of their stupor and tell them we still had a chance."

In extra-time Neuer was again called upon to prevent what looked like another certain goal. Quaresma intercepted a square ball and had a full set of options – but the Schalke goalkeeper again saved with his foot (102'). Despite being a man down Porto continued to threaten thanks to the trio of Gonzalez, Lopez and Quaresma. "We showed a lot of character. I'm very proud of my players", said Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira later with some justification.

And so Schalke had to settle for a penalty shoot-out. The 45,000 spectators created a cauldron of noise during the spot kicks, but the Royal Blues held their nerve. And after Neuer had saved two penalties it went very quiet. When Jermaine Jones scored the winning penalty, the home fans gave their players a huge round of applause, and justifiably so. Meanwhile the Schalke section witnessed scenes of incredible jubilation as ecstatic players and fans joined together to celebrate a major European success. "We can look back on a game that people will be talking about long into the future", said Slomka at the end. When the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League is made in Nyon on 14 March, FC Schalke 04 will be in the pot!

Porto: Helton – Bosingwa (M. Gonzalez 54'), Alves, Pedro Emanuel, Fucile – Paulo Asuncao, Meireles (Cech 97') – L. Gonzalez – Sektioui (Farias 58'), Lopez, Quaresma
Schalke: Neuer – Rafinha, Bordon (Höwedes 115'), Krstajic, Westermann – Ernst, Jones – Grossmüller (Rakitic 111'), Kobiashvili – Altintop – Kuranyi (Asamoah 78')
Goal: 1-0 Lopez (86')
Penalty shoot-out: 0-1 Rafinha, 1-1 L. Gonzalez, 1-2 Rakitic, Neuer saves from Alves, 1-3 Altintop, Neuer saves from Lopez, 1-4 Jones
Referee: Webb (England)
Attendance: 45,316
Red card: Fucile (83'/serious foul play)
Yellow cards: Lopez – Kuranyi, Jones, Westermann