Schalke takes big step toward Champions League last-16

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) — Mark Uth scored another rare goal to seal a 2-0 win for Schalke over visiting Galatasaray on Tuesday and put the German side on the brink of reaching the Champions League knockout stages.

Uth, who made his Germany debut last month despite still waiting for his first Schalke goal, secured the win just as Galatasaray looked like scoring an equalizer. Strike partner Guido Burgstaller, who had given Schalke a fourth-minute lead, sent the ball over to Uth, who stopped it with his left boot before shooting past the helpless Fernando Muslera.

After failing to score in his first 12 Bundesliga and Champions League games for Schalke, the striker now has two goals in four days after also netting in the side's 3-1 win over Hannover on Saturday.

"A goal is important for a striker. I don't know how many games it was that I hadn't scored," Uth said.

Schalke endured a lackluster start to this season but has recovered with only one defeat in its last nine games.

"You can see when the confidence is there, then the ease (of playing) comes, too. We totally deserved to win today," Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel said. "Maybe another goal or two could have been scored."

The Gelsenkirchen-club is on course to reach the last-16 with eight points from four games in Group D, four more than third-place Galatasaray with two games remaining.

"We're nowhere near where we really want to be. But we're on the right path," Heidel said.

Group leader Porto all but sealed progress with a 4-1 win at home over Lokomotiv Moscow, which is out after four defeats.

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