Ruthless Juventus come from behind to knock Spurs out of Europe
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Updated 07/03/2018 at 22:44 GMT
Champions League, Wembley – Tottenham 1 (Son 39) Juventus 2 (Higuain 64, Dybala 67)
Higuain, Dybala - Tottenham-Juventus - Champions League 2017/2018 - Getty Images
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Juventus came from a goal down to send Tottenham crashing out the Champions League in a thrilling encounter, earning a 2-1 win at Wembley to progress to the quarter finals with a 3-2 success on aggregate.
Son Heung-min's 39th minute goal gave Spurs a deserved lead after the home side had impressed in the first half, but Juventus, following a tactical shift, hit back with a quick-fire second-half brace. Both Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala got on the scoresheet within three minutes of each other to leave Spurs stunned.
Both these sides came into the contest on the back of long unbeaten runs, but it was Tottenham who were superior from the off, with Son looking especially dangerous, and the South Korea international got his reward for his tenacity six minutes before the interval, as he turned home Kieran Trippier’s cross.
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Heung-Min Son of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium on March 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom
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Juventus, who had kept 18 clean sheets in their last 20 games in all competitions prior to Wednesday night, couldn’t cope with Spurs’ energy for much of the match, but two goals in two minutes and 49 seconds turned this match on its head.
Firstly, Higuain steered the ball home after Sami Khedira had headed into the middle, before the forward brilliantly turned provider as he threaded a superb pass through for Dybala to send Juventus into the last eight, and ensure Spurs became the first Premier League side to exit this season's Champions League competition, despite suffering just one defeat all campaign.
TALKING POINT
Nothing Spursy about it - Allegri just caught Tottenham cold. Over the two legs, there was no doubting Spurs were the better side. Juventus really struggled to cope with Spurs’ energy in the first half at Wembley, and it seemed a matter of time before Spurs found a second. However, two seemingly innocuous Juventus changes proved to be telling. Switching to a back four, with replacements Stephan Lichtsteiner and Kwadwo Asamoah providing width, the visitors stretched Spurs, creating space for the previously quiet Dybala and Higuain to work in - the result was devastating. Without supposed game changers to call upon, Max Allegri made use of his lot superbly.
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Juventus' manager Massimiliano Allegri reacts on the touchline during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus at Wembley Stadium in London, on March 7, 2018.
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MAN OF THE MATCH
Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus) Giorgio Chiellini was magnificent, but in both legs, one man really made the difference. Often criticised for being overweight or ineffective, especially against the better sides, Gonzalo Higuain has, almost single-handedly, sent Juventus through to the last eight. He netted twice in the first leg, and, in the blink of an eye at Wembley, he showed form may be temporary, but class is very much permanent. His goal was pure instinct, but the hold up play and pass for Dybala’s goal - world class.
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Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Tottenham: Lloris 6, Trippier 6, Sanchez 7, Vertonghen 5, Davies 7, Dier 5, Dembele 6, Eriksen 6, Alli 5, Son 8, Kane 6… Subs: Lamela 6, Llorente 6.
Juventus: Buffon 6, Barzagli 7, Benatia 7, Chiellini 9, Alex Sandro 7, Khedira 7, Pjanic 5, Matuidi 5, Douglas Costa 7, Higuain 9, Dybala 7. Subs: Lichtsteiner 7, Asamoah 7, Sturaro 6.
KEY MOMENTS
18’ - NO PENALTY! Costa nicks the ball away from Jan Vertonghen, the Spurs defender dives in, seems to clip Costa, who goes tumbling, but again no penalty is given. A stroke of luck for the hosts.
39’ - GOOOOOAAAAAL! Tottenham 1-0 Juventus (agg: 3-2). A little lucky with the finish, but Son sends Wembley into delirium! Lovely football from Tottenham and what a noise! Trippier with the assist, he pulls it back for Son, the South Korean is in space, with the goal at his mercy, he scuffs his strike into the floor, but he gets fortunate, as the ball spins off the turf and over the despairing dive of Buffon.
64’ - GOOOOOALLLLLL! Tottenham 1-1 Juventus (agg: 3-3). The big man on the big occasion! Higuain gets Juve back in it! He hasn't had much to work with, but when the opportunity came, Higuain stuck out a leg to get his side back in it. Lichtsteiner with the cross, Sami Khedira with the header, and Higuain deflected the ball into the net. Their first shot on target.
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Higuain - Tottenham-Juventus - Champions League 2017/2018 - Getty Images
Image credit: Getty Images
67’ - GOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL! Tottenham 1-2 Juventus (agg: 3-4). What a turnaround! Dybala with the goal - advantage Juve! Two minutes and 49 seconds between the goals. Spurs look shell shocked. This additional width has stretched Spurs, and they cannot cope at the moment. Superb from Higuain again, as he holds it up, creates space for Dybala to run into, threads a perfect pass into his compatriot's path, before Dybala finished brilliantly to stun Wembley.
90’ - OFF THE LINE!!!!!!!! Kane gets up to meet a Davies cross, from an offside position mind, the flag stays down, it beats Buffon, hits the inside of the post, rolls along the line, but Barzagli hooks it clear from underneath his own crossbar.
KEY STATS
Tottenham became only the third side out of 13 to have drawn 2-2 away from home in the first leg of the Champions League knockout stages to be eliminated after Bayern Munich against Milan in 2007 and Porto against Manchester United in 2009.
Juventus have now reached the Champions League quarter-finals in three of the last four campaigns. This was the first time they have progressed against an English side in five attempts in the tournament.
The Old Lady have now gone 21 matches without a defeat in all competitions, the longest such ongoing run of all the sides in the top 5 European leagues. Of the four goals they have conceded in those 21 matches, Spurs have bagged three of them (75%).
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