Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata struck for Juventus as the Italian champions secured a 2-1 Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund in Turin on Tuesday.
However, Massimiliano Allegri’s hosts were left lamenting a host of missed chances and conceding an away goal that could prove costly heading toward the decisive second leg on March 18.
Juventus coach Allegri had warned of the threat of Dortmund’s potent counterattack, but it was from such a move that Tevez broke the deadlock 13 minutes into the game.
Photo: AFP
The ball was fed out to Morata, who controlled well before launching a run down the left flank and firing in a shot which goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller pushed into the path of Tevez for the Argentine to bundle over from close range.
Juventus looked to be in their stride, but the hosts’ joy was ended minutes later following a howler by Giorgio Chiellini.
The central defender slipped on the edge of the area, missed the ball completely and clattered into Leonardo Bonucci.
Marco Reus waltzed in to collect and had enough time to pick his spot against a rooted Gianluigi Buffon on the 18-minute mark.
Juve looked out of sorts for long spells in the opening half as Borussia moved the ball around with ease, albeit without capitalizing. After 33 minutes, midfielder Nuri Sahin had time to unleash a long-range effort that swerved late before Buffon parried with both hands.
Paul Pogba looked far from his sparkling best and to make matters worse, Juve lost influential midfielder Andrea Pirlo at the 37-minute mark after he pulled up with a suspected hamstring strain.
Yet Juve took the lead against the run of play just before the interval.
Tevez collected a long ball from his own half and set up Pogba on the left for the Frenchman to deliver a low cross that Morata glanced inside Weidenfeller’s far post with the inside of his boot.
Juve resumed in positive fashion, but spurned several chances to put the result beyond doubt.
Bonucci narrowly failed to make contact with a corner swung in from the left after it bounced off Weidenfeller, while at the other end former Torino striker Ciro Immobile saw his angled drive held by Buffon as the visitors enjoyed possession.
Juve spurned a great chance just before the hour mark when Dortmund skipper Mats Hummels lost possession to Tevez in midfield, but Pogba wasted the opportunity in the area after collecting Morata’s long ball from the right.
A probing cross by Stephan Lichsteiner was then headed on by Morata into path of Tevez, who ballooned over.
The Argentine edged closer when he fired a low drive amid a rabble of players on the edge of the area that crept centimeters wide of the upright.
Dortmund saw a rare chance go amiss when Immobile fired over Buffon’s crossbar from the edge of the area.
He was replaced moments later by Jakub Blaszczykowski, prompting a tactical switch that saw Aubameyang move into the striker’s role.
However, Juve continued to dominate as Tevez was sent through on the right to force Weidenfeller into action and Chiellini fired a powerful header just over.
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