Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale (R) vies with Sporting's defender Joao Pereira during the UEFA Champions League football match Sporting CP vs Real Madrid CF at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on November 22, 2016. (Photo: AFP)
Champions League holders Real Madrid secured a last-16 berth for the 20th successive season after an 87th-minute header by substitute Karim Benzema gave them a laboured 2-1 win at 10-man Sporting Lisbon in their Group F clash on Tuesday.
The result left Real second in the group on 11 points from five games, two behind Borussia Dortmund who beat Legia Warsaw 8-4 at home in an extraordinary match. Dortmund need a draw at the Bernabeu on Dec 7 to win the section.
Real stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 30 games after an indifferent performance in which their top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, needing two goals to reach a 100-goal milestone in European club competition, was largely subdued.
France defender Rafael Varane fired Real ahead in the 29th minute but it took a late glancing header by Benzema to rescue them after Adrien Silva had equalised with a penalty after Joao Pereira's 64th-minute red card.
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