BERLIN, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Schalke shared the spoils with Porto following a 1-1 draw at the group stage opener in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
The Royal Blues secured one point in Group D as Otavio benefitted on Porto's second penalty to cancel out Breel Embolo's opener.
Schalke started out the match highly motivated and assumed control from the start but still it was the visitors from Portugal who had the golden chance to open the scoring after referee Gil Manzano awarded Porto a hand ball penalty in the 12th minute.
Porto's Alex Telles stepped up, but Schalke's goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann defused his shot to the bottom right corner, avoiding an early setback.
Both sides defended well and neutralized offensive actions. Nevertheless, Schalke came to two chances before the break as Naldo headed over the target following a corner, and Suat Serder tested Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas with a long-range effort.
After the restart, Porto grabbed a bright start and secured their first note-worthy chance as Faehrmann had to deny Felipe from close range in the 47th minute.
As the match progressed, Schalke increased the pressure and their efforts were rewarded in the 64th minute when Breel Embolo finished off Weston McKennie's build-up work to break the deadlock.
It was a short-lived period of joy for the hosts though, as referee Gil Manzano awarded Porto another penalty after Naldo grazed Moussa Marega inside the box. Porto's Otavio made no mistake and converted the second penalty of the night to level the scores in the 75th minute.
Both sides were in search of the winner and exchanged offensive actions, but had to settle for a 1-1 draw after ninety minutes.
With the result, Galatasaray lead Group D followed by Porto, Schalke and Lokomotiv Moskva.
"I am of course disappointed. My team performed well today but two controversial penalties cost us a victory on home soil. It is really frustrating when the opponents best chances arise from penalties," Schalke's head coach Domenico Tedesco said.
"We did not stage a brilliant performance. It is good not to start with a defeat. If we had converted the first penalty it would have been different affair," Porto head coach Sergio Conceicao said.
