Substitute Alvaro Morata struck deep into injury-time to seal a stunning Champions League comeback for holders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu tonight.
Real trailed Group F rivals Sporting Lisbon 1-0 heading into the last two minutes before Cristiano Ronaldo fired home a free-kick to steal what looked like a point against his former club.
But remarkably there was still time for Morata to grab a 2-1 winner with a powerful header past Rui Patricio to cap an amazing fightback and leave Sporting's players distraught on the turf.
Ronaldo, who kept his place in the starting line-up after his return from injury at the weekend, will have been under no illusions about the size of the threat posed by Jorge Jesus's men.
The Portuguese side arrived in Spain on the back of 13 straight domestic wins and took the game straight to their illustrious opponents, almost grabbing the lead in the opening 60 seconds.
Bruno Cesar was allowed some space on the edge of the Real box and he fired a shot which beat home keeper Kiko Casilla but passed agonisingly wide of his right-hand post.
Sporting continued to dominate the opening exchanges with Casilla having to save again from Gelson while the visiting defence coped well with the early threat posed by Gareth Bale down the flank.
Ronaldo fired a free-kick which was tipped over the bar by Rui Patricio in what passed for the hosts' best efforts in the opening half-hour, then Sporting spurned another glorious chance when Bas Dost was inches from connecting with a Gelson cross in front of goal.
Ronaldo hit a free-kick over the bar in the last act of a disappointing first half and Sporting grabbed the lead they deserved within two minutes of the restart when Bruno Cesar was rewarded for his tenacity in the box with a low shot past the out-stretched arm of Casillas.
Dost missed another chance in the box for Sporting before Morata's arrival in the 71st minute for Karim Benzema spurred a Real revival, Daniel Carvajal missing a fine chance to equalise in the 77th minute after being set up by Ronaldo.
When Ronaldo clattered an effort against the bar in the 82nd minute it looked like Real's chance of getting back into the game had gone but the hosts were level six minutes later when the Real captain picked himself up after being fouled by Elias and curled a delicious free-kick past Rui Patricio.
Many would have settled for a point but Real had other ideas and they shattered Sporting's dream four minutes into injury time when Morata rose unchallenged in the box and his header was powerful enough to pass Rui Patricio and seal a sensational comeback win.
Source: PA-WIRE
