Andre Schuerrle came off the bench to assist one goal and score another as Wolfsburg won 2-0 away to CSKA Moscow in Group B of the Champions League on Wednesday.
The former Chelsea player came on for Daniel Caligiuri just over an hour in at the Arena Khimki with the game still goalless but he was responsible for getting the breakthrough in the 67th minute.
His low driven shot from the right side of the penalty box appeared to be going wide of the far post but CSKA ‘keeper Igor Akinfeev got a firm hand to the ball and could only watch as it flew into the net.
Schuerrle then made sure of the points two minutes from time as he beautifully scored a cutback from fellow substitute Sebastian Jung.
The result moved the German club provisionally top of Group B above Manchester United and condemned CSKA Moscow to an early exit from the competition.
United can clinch qualification for the last 16 with a win at home to Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven later on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, Benfica closed in on a place in the knockout stage after coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 away to Astana in Kazakhstan in Group C.
Ghanaian forward Patrick Twumasi put Astana ahead and Marin Anicic doubled their lead on 31 minutes.
However, Mexican forward Raul Jimenez pulled one back before halftime and then levelled the scores in the 72nd minute.
The Portuguese giants will qualify for the last 16 later on Wednesday as long as Galatasaray do not win away to Atletico Madrid in Spain.
In other games, Paris Saint-Germain will look to secure their progress from Group A when they go to Malmo as Zlatan Ibrahimovic captains the visitors against his hometown team and the club where he started his glittering career.
Real Madrid have already qualified but will look to seal top spot in the same group when they face Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.
Manchester City are already through from Group D as they prepare to face Juventus, who can confirm their place in the last 16 with a win or a draw, depending on the result between Borussia Moenchengladbach and Sevilla in Germany.
On Tuesday, holders Barcelona qualified for the knockout stage with a 6-1 win over Roma, while Bayern Munich joined them by beating Olympiakos 4-0 and Zenit St Petersburg, who had already qualified, made it five wins in a row by beating Valencia 2-0 in Group H.
There were also wins for Chelsea, who are almost through, Arsenal, Dynamo Kiev and Gent.
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