Thu, Feb 24, 2022 page16

• Vlahovic nets in Juve-Villarreal draw

  • AP, VILLARREAL, Spain
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  Dusan Vlahovic on Tuesday needed just 31 seconds to show Europe why Juventus chose him to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo.

  The Serbia striker had a dream debut in the UEFA Champions League, scoring a superb goal after his first contact with the ball in a 1-1 draw against Villarreal.

  His goal had the elements of strikes that only players of Ronaldo’s caliber can pull off, combining power, a sense of the moment and that extra dose of confidence that means no scoring chance, however slim, should go to waste.

  

  Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, left, and Raul Albiol of Villarreal vie for the ball during their UEFA Champions League round-of-16, first-leg match at the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, Spain, on Tuesday.

  Photo: AFP

  After using his chest to control a long pass from Danilo, the 22-year-old striker did not hesitate to immediately take on centerback pair Pau Torres and Raul Albiol.

  He used one touch to prepare his shot taken with his weaker right foot while he spun toward the goal. The low effort grazed the foot of a defender before squirting in at an angle past goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

  It was his second goal with Juventus since the team secured his 70 million euros (US$80 million) transfer from ACF Fiorentina near the end of the transfer window last month to find a top scorer after Ronaldo’s exit five months before in the off-season.

  

  Villarreal’s Etienne Capoue, second right, and Pau Torres, left, defend as Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, right, controls the ball during their UEFA Champions League round-of-16, first-leg match at the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, Spain, on Tuesday.

  Photo: AP

  “It was huge to score on my debut. It was very emotional,” Vlahovic said. “However, I cannot be 100 percent satisfied because we have not won the game.”

  Dani Parejo leveled for Villarreal in the 66th minute, leaving the playoff poised for the decider in Italy with the away-goal rule scrapped this season.

  After Vlahovic’s opener, Villarreal tied to respond through their speed on the flanks. Alfonso Pedraza stole the ball and sped from the left side of the box before he laid off for Giovani lo Celso, only for his scuffed attempt to find the top of the left post in the 13th minute.

  Vlahovic also impressed with his ability to pull down more long balls for his teammates in the first half.

  However, Parejo’s equalizer came just after Albiol made it his mission to start taking away that outlet.

  Following Albiol’s challenge to win a ball from Juventus’ new striker, the Italian team betrayed their defensive pedigree when they gave Etienne Capoue time to pick out a run forward by fellow midfielder Parejo.

  Juventus’ backline compounded that mistake by leaving Parejo free of a marker as he fired low to make it 1-1.

  “When they score in the first minute, it ruins your game plan, but even so, we knew how to hang in there and go for the match,” Parejo said. “To draw 1-1 after starting from behind, I am satisfied with how we played and the chances we created against a giant like Juventus.”

  Vlahovic almost conjured up the winner with five minutes remaining with a powerful shot that Rulli did well to stop.
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