Klaas Jan Huntelaar went home with the match ball as the hat-trick hero fired Schalke into the last 16 of the Europa League.
Dutchman on target as Viktoria Plzen take Schalke all the way
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar went home with the match ball as the hat-trick hero fired Schalke into the last 16 of the Europa League with victory over 10-man Viktoria Plzen.
The Dutchman opened the scoring in the seventh minute to give Huub Stevens' team a 2-1 lead in the tie and their opponents were reduced to 10 men when Marek Bakos saw red card.
However, the Czech side fought back and scored through Frantisek Rajtoral with two minutes to go to take the game into extra-time where Huntelaar's double eased them through.
The Bundesliga side enjoyed an ideal start when Huntelaar slotted home Julian Draxler's cross from the left.
Raul headed wide and Draxler put a free-kick to the left of the goal as Schalke looked to increase their lead.
The Czechs, though, came within inches of equalising in the 27th minute when Milan Petrzela's cross was met by Daniel Kolar whose header hit the post.
There were few clear-cut openings as the first half ticked down with the hosts in pole position at half-time.
Plzen had plenty of possession but the complexion of the game changed with half an hour to go when Bakos was given a straight red card for serious foul play.
It was a seriously uphill task for Plzen now. Fuchs sent a long-range free-kick over and Raul headed wide as Schalke attempted to make their man advantage pay.
Chinedu Obasi's 25-yard shot was cleared by Frantisek Sevinsky and Benedikt Howedes also went wide from distance.
A home victory appeared the most likely outcome until Rajtoral intervened two minutes from time, smashing the ball into the top right-hand corner of the goal to force the game into extra-time.
Schalke started with real intent. Huntelaar's 25-yard shot was parried by Marek Cech before the Plzen keeper kept out Fuchs' free-kick while both Obasi and Alexander Baumjohann fired over.
Cech parried Baumjohann's corner and Huntelaar shot wide and Schalke's pressure paid off seconds into the second period of extra-time when Huntelaar headed home Obasi's cross from the right.
Shortly after, Baumjohann failed to seal victory when he failed to direct his header from inside the six-yard box.
On the stroke of full-time Huntelaar converted Ciprian Marica's cross and victory was assured.
