Sporting CP surprised the home team with two fiery goals early in the second half. Edwards unleashed the scoring with a shot in the 65th, two minutes before he helped aid Francisco Trincão for 2-0. Substitute Nuno Santos finished the scoring with one more sharp attack in the 82nd minute. It was Sporting Lisbon’s first-ever victory in Germany, obtained by taking benefit of loopholes in Frankfurt’s defense as the home team pushed hard for the breakthrough. Oliver Glasner’s players had been looking more likely to gain points. Frankfurt was all set to make its stellar debut in Europe’s premier contest after winning last season’s europa league.
“We had a 10 or 15-minute blackout in the second half, when they decided the game,” Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow stated. “That’s the Champions League – they scored three goals from three chances.”