Tottenham fought back from two early goals down to claim a valuable 2-2 draw with Juventus in their Champions League last-16, first-leg clash at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday.
Match Summary
Juve raced into a two-goal lead as Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring a minute into kick-off before he struck again on nine minutes from the penalty spot.
But Mauricio Pochettino’s side went on to dominate proceedings and halved the deficit through Harry Kane 10 minutes before half-time, with Christian Eriksen rescuing a draw in the second half.
Full Report
The hosts got off to the best possible start as Spurs went to sleep at a free-kick in the opening minute from Piralem Pjanic, who found Higuain open inside the box, and the striker hit a volley across his body into the bottom-left corner of the net off Hugo Lloris’ glove.
Christian Eriksen looked to emulate the feat at the other end moments later, but his volley flew high over the target, before another mistake from the visitors led to a second goal for Juve on eight minutes.
Filippo Bernardeschi sneaked in behind Ben Davies to get to the ball ahead of the left-back, who caught him inside the box to concede a penalty, which Higuain dispatched into the bottom-left corner with Lloris again getting a touch on the ball.
The north Londoners responded well to the early setback, as Kane forced Gigi Buffon into a sharp reaction save with a header from six yards out after being picked out by Eriksen’s pin-point cross in the 26th minute, while the Dane saw his half-volley from 19 yards out drift wide of the right post three minutes later.
The Bianconeri threatened on the counter soon afterwards as Higuain latched onto a ball over the top and swapped passes with Pjanic before shooting inches wide of the left post from inside the area.
But Spurs were quickly on the attack again and Kane drew a save out of Buffon with a scuffed effort on his left foot that was turned around the right post on 32 minutes, before the England ace beat the Italian three minutes later.
Dele Alli pounced on a loose ball and played in Kane, who went around Buffon on the left and slotted home into an open net from 13 yards out.
The Premier League outfit continued to take the game to the Serie A champions, with Eriksen forcing Buffon to punch his wicked strike from long range on 40 minutes, before Alli mistimed his jump to head the Dane’s cross onto the roof of the net two minutes later.
Juve should have restored their two-goal advantage on the stroke of half-time when they were awarded another spot-kick for Serge Aurier’s clumsy challenge on Douglas Costa inside the box on the left.
But Higuain passed up on the chance to score a first-half hat-trick as he smashed the ball against the crossbar from 12 yards out.
The Old Lady played more on the counter in the second half, which resulted in a couple of opportunities on 57 minutes when Higuain played in Bernardeschi on the right and the Italian advanced into the box before seeing his shot turned around the left post by Lloris, who was relieved to see Mario Mandzukic head straight at him from the resulting corner.
Kane attempted to catch out Buffon at his near post on 70 minutes with a strike from just outside the area that was fumbled by the keeper, who was beaten again two minutes later by Eriksen’s low free-kick from the top of the D.
Lloris had to be alert when Bernardeschi cut inside from the right and got off a shot from 16 yards out that took a deflection, but the French keeper recovered to save at his near post.
Juve applied some late pressure in an attempt to regain the lead, although their best chance saw Medhi Benatia direct a header over the bar from an 85th-minute corner.
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