Sporting Lisbon 1-2 Real Madrid UCL Match Highlights and Results (Karim Benzema nets late Los Blancos winner)

Real Madrid snatched a late win away to Sporting Lisbon (Reuters)

Cristiano Ronaldo's Sporting Lisbon homecoming ended in victory as Real Madrid secured their place in the knockout phase of the Champions League for a 20th consecutive season thanks to Karim Benzema's late winner.

However, victory came at a cost as Gareth Bale gave Real a huge injury scare just 11 days before they travel to face Barcelona in El Clasico as he limped off with an ankle injury just before the hour mark.

UCL Table For Group F As It Stands

The opening goal of the game arrived in scrappy fashion as Raphael Varane lashed home from close range after Luka Modric's free-kick broke kindly to the Frenchman inside the area.

Sporting's chances of securing the victory they needed to keep their Champions League hopes alive looked to have disappeared when Scottish referee Willie Collum flashed his habitual red card the way of Joao Pereira for a push on Mateo Kovacic.

Match Highlights

However, the hapless Fabio Coentrao's handball offered Adrien Silva to level from the penalty spot 10 minutes from time.

Yet, Benzema had the final say as he came off the bench to slam home the winner and ensure Real still have a chance of topping the group should they beat Borussia Dortmund at home in two weeks' time.

Bale injury curse strikes again

A common feature of the Welshman's three years in Madrid has been untimely injuries just as he has hit top form.

Gareth Bale grimaces as he lies on the pitch (Getty Images)

Fresh from signing a bumper £600,000 contract to 2022 and a series of brilliant displays his latest setback may be the biggest of all.

Real face a hugely demanding December that starts with El Clasico, followed by Dortmund's visit to decide top spot in Group F and the Club World Cup in Japan before 2016 is out.

Ronaldo more loved in Lisbon than Madrid

Amidst the din of whistles as the Madrid team was announced, there was one exception as cheers, louder than for any Sporting player, greeted Ronaldo's name along with a banner of a young Cristiano and the message "made in Sporting."

Raphael Varane sopened the scoring for the hosts from a set piece (Reuters)

Despite leaving Lisbon at just 18 and without winning a trophy for Sporting, Ronaldo is hailed with a God-like status in the capital of his homeland that even 374 goals and two Champions League titles hasn't earned him in Madrid.

All that affection may even have had an effect on the normally ruthless Ronaldo as for the first time in six matches he didn't score against one of his former clubs.