Won But Out.

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3 years ago
Topics: Sports, Football

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Juventus went out of the Champions League at the hands of Porto even though they won on the night but they exit the competition on away goal rule. Porto won the first leg by 2-1 and now, Juventus won by 3-2 to make it 4-4 on the aggregate. Juventus would feel aggrieved by certain decisions in the match but we cannot take away from Porto the amazing feat they recorded with this advancement. 


Juventus hosted Porto with the hope of getting the job done on home soil but they had another thing waiting for them. Porto was resolute and clinical while the same thing cannot be said for this Juventus side that rested Ronaldo for the League game for a match of this magnitude.


Juventus signalled their intent as early as the 3rd minute when Cuadrado delivered a lovely cross into the box which Morata connected very well with but the goalkeeper produced a quick and instinctive save to keep it out. The dynamics changed in the 17th minute when Taremi was adjudged to have been fouled inside the box. The referee pointed straight to the spot and Oliviera stepped up to take it. He sent the goalkeeper the wrong way as he produced a lovely penalty to give Porto the lead and 3-1 on aggregate.


In the 27th minute, Morata wasted another brilliant chance. He was found by Cuadrado again with an inviting cross and after controlling the ball so well, he couldn't get it past the goalkeeper as the goalkeeper produced a stunning block.


In the 49th minute, Juventus got a lifeline when Ronaldo was found in the box and his control gave Chiesa the perfect chance to have a great angle to hit his effort. He dispatched it beautifully to make it 1-1, and 2-3 on the aggregate.


Taremi, who won the penalty for his team got a second yellow card that should have been avoided when he kicked the ball away. The referee had no choice but to send him off, leaving Porto with 10 players on the pitch to make Porto hang on by a thread against a Juventus side who wants blood.


In the 56th minute, Chiesa was found again in the box. He brilliantly controlled the ball away from the goalkeeper. He had only the net at his mercy while trying to slide to get it home but Pepe expertly blocked the effort off and it struck the post. What a timely intervention by Pepe. That would have been costly had he not stepped in.


In the 63rd minute, another enticing cross from Cuadrado found Chiesa and all he had to do was bury it and he did. He produced a lovely header to give his team the lead, 2-1 and 3-3 on the aggregate.


Morata thought he had won it for his team in the 1st minute of the added time when he scored after a brilliant looping pass found him but he was flagged for offside. In the 3rd minute of the extra time too, Cuadrado struck the crossbar when he cuts in to unleash a lovely shot. Juventus would feel this wasn't their night with missed chances.


The game ended and the extra time came up. In the 115th minute, Oliviera got his second on the night when a beautifully struck low drive freekick found its way into the back of the net from quite a distance. It went in under the wall and Szczesny couldn't keep it out, 2-2. Now Porto is now with the advantage as Juventus need 2 goals to qualify. Shortly after, in the 117th minute, Rabiot produced another goal with a lovely header from Bernardeschi's corner, 3-2 but 4-4 on aggregate. Juventus couldn't find another goal and Porto's heroics showed up tonight as they went through even with 10 men. 


There would be question marks on Ronaldo who was anonymous on the night and Pirlo, whose future might be in doubt as they are out of the Champions League and now struggling to win the league.


This Post Also Appeared Here.

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And Here.​​​


Thank you for your time.


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