Three goals in 18 minutes guided Schalke to victory over Steaua Bucharest although the scoreline put a gloss on what had been a poor performance by the Bundesliga side until they made the breakthrough in their Group E clash in Gelsenkirchen.
A farcical goal by Atsuto Uchida when his cross floated into the net put Schalke ahead in the 67th minute, triggering a transformation in the hosts.
Well-crafted goals by Kevin-Prince Boateng and Julian Draxler in the 78th and 85th minutes gave Schalke what looks like an easy victory but until Uchida’s opener they were disjointed, squandering possession and chances.