Schalke 04 grab one for 50th in 100

Schalke 04 1 FC Porto 0: Schalke 04 played like veterans in their first appearance in the knockout rounds of the Champions League to beat Porto and celebrate their 100th European match with a 50th victory.

Kevin Kuranyi blasted in the only goal in the fourth minute, after the Porto goalkeeper Helton had failed to hold a shot from Rafinha.

Porto, who won the European Cup for the second time on their last visit to the Arena AufSchalke in 2004, created little before Lisandro Lopez almost grabbed an equaliser from nowhere with a close-range effort that flew wide 10 minutes from time.

Most of the Porto squad that beat Monaco in that final has long since dispersed, along with coach Jose Mourinho, of course.

SCHALKE 04: Neuer, Rafinha, Bordon, Krstajic, Westermann, Rakitic (Grossmuller 76), Jones, Ernst, Kobiashvili, Asamoah (Altintop 80), Kuranyi (Sanchez 89). Subs not used: Schober, Varela, Lovenkrands, Howedes. Booked: Jones, Ernst, Grossmuller.

FC PORTO: Helton, Joao Paulo (Mariano Gonzalez 85), Pedro Emanuel, Bruno Alves, Fucile, Lucho Gonzalez, Paulo Assuncao, Raul Meireles, Lopez, Farias (Sektioui 56), Quaresma. Subs not used: Nuno, Stepanov, Cech, Helder Barbosa, Kazmierczak.

Referee: L Duhamel (France).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times