(Football news) Eintracht Frankfurt staged a brilliant second-half comeback as they scored twice in 10 minutes to beat Sporting CP 2-1 and qualify for the Champions League last-16 for the first time in their clubs history by knocking the Portuguese side out of the competition. The Europa League champions pulled themselves back out of the depths of despair at halftime when they were facing elimination and with goals from Daichi Kamada and Randal Kolo Muani after the break they left Portugal as unlikely winners.

Eintracht were on their way to finish on top of Group D but they finished in second place on 10 points from six games as Tottenham Hotspur clinched top spot after their last-gasp 2-1 victory against. The only saving grace for Sporting is that they finished third and will continue in the Europa League. When the match began Sporting just needed a point to advance to the knockout stages but would have fallen a goal behind in the 13th minute if it was not for a brilliant save by Sporting keeper Antonio Adan to stop teammate Paulinho from heading into his own goal.

The hosts had to take off Nuno Santos with what looked like a very serious ankle injury but they still managed to take the lead when winger Arthur Gomes beautifully volleyed home at the far post from a looping cross which headed in the 39th minute. Eintracht hardly got a clear cut chance in the first half and were clearly lacking ideas, Sporting were more proactive during the game as they did really well to shut down spaces. But the story of the second half was completely different as Sporting lost their way and the visitors came out all guns blazing. The pressure soon paid off when Sporting captain Sebastian Coates conceded a penalty in the 62nd minute which Kamada scored with a well-taken spot kick. The killer blow came when French international Kolo Muani powered into the box and drilled a powerful shot to bag the winner in the 72nd minute to complete a stunning comeback and secure a place in the knockout stages.

"We didn't start well at the beginning of the game. But we are a comeback team, we gave everything in the second half and deservedly make the next round," said 32-year-old Eintracht captain and man-of-the-match Sebastian Rode. "We continue our European adventure and that's the next highlight for Eintracht Frankfurt."

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