Schalke wins 2-1 at Benfica to top Group B

Jose Jurado and Benedikt Howedes scored to give Schalke a 2-1 win at Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday, the German club's first away win securing top spot in Group B.

Raul chested down a cross from Ivan Rakitic and placed the ball in the path of Jose Jurado, who fired home in the 19th minute. Howedes, unmarked inside the area, made it 2-0 in the 81st to secure Schalke's first victory in Portugal.

Luisao pulled one back for Benfica with three minutes to play.

The Bundesliga team finished the round-robin stage on 12 points, ahead of second-place Lyon.

Benfica finished third to qualify for the Europa League despite its first home defeat in the tournament this season and its first loss against a German visitor in 14 years.

Schalke's opening goal came against the run of play and gave the visitors confidence to feed more possession to Raul, who troubled the shaky Benfica backline.

The Lisbon club had started brightly, Oscar Cardozo and Javier Saviola both working their way into the Schalke area during the early stages but failing to make an impact as the German team held firm.

Benfica, far off the lead in its domestic competition and hoping to take something from the Champions League, brought on Pablo Aimar and Nicolas Gaitan at the interval to sharpen its attack.

But it was Schalke that came closest to scoring, Peer Kluge neatly chipping the ball over his marker and shooting just wide of the far post in the 55th.

Javi Garcia tapped wide, then Aimar also missed the target in the 75th in Benfica's best move of the match.

David Luis hit the Schalke woodwork with a free kick in injury time.