Juventus stun Spurs as Dybala caps comeback
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Israel Igiri
Two goals in under three second-half minutes saw Juventus comeback from 1-0 down to knock Tottenham Hotspur out of the Champions League, with a 2-1 victory at Wembley sending them through to the quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate.
Heung-min Son’s 39th-minute opener looked to have put Spurs on track for the last eight. But despite being dominated for most of the game, the Italian champions stunned the hosts as Gonzalo Higuain finished in the 64th minute and then played in Paulo Dybala to score the winner in less than three minutes later.
Spurs started at a superb pace and tested Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon within the opening three minutes as Son fired in an angled drive that the Italian pushed away.
The home side had another glorious chance to score in the 15th minute when Christian Eriksen played a pass through to Harry Kane, but the striker hit the side netting after getting away from Giorgio Chiellini and rounding off Buffon.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side were left furious in the 17th minute when they were denied a penalty after Jan Vertonghen slid in and caught Douglas Costa from behind.
With six minutes to the end of the first half, Son, who had been outstanding on the night, would not be denied, as his simple strike looped in to give his side a deserved lead in the 39th minute.
Allegri’s men looked for a way back into the game as Miralem Pjanic fired wide from the edge of the box after receiving a pass from Dybala. At this point, it was still advantage Spurs and the away side needed to up their game if they were to do a comeback.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side continued their dominant display as the game approached the hour mark with Son missing another chance to put the tie to bed. The South Korean curled a pass from Eriksen high and wide.
The Turin-based side came back to life after the introduction of Stephen Lichtsteiner and Kwandwo Asamoah. The changes gave Juve more options going forward as they sought to turn the tie around.
Moments later, Juventus were levelled as Sami Khedira flicked on Lichtsteiner’s cross for Higuain to turn in.
In less than three minutes later, Pochettino’s men were stunned by Dybala who raced onto Higuain’s clever pass to fire high into the right side of the net.
The north Londoners piled pressure as the game approached stoppage time and came close to getting the leveler and forcing extra-time in the 90th minute when Kane’s header beat Buffon and hit the inside of the post before being kicked out by Andrea Barzagli, who ensured that the Old Lady make it to the last eight of the competition for the third time in four seasons.
