A second-half comeback at Wembley saw Juventus progress to the Champions League quarter-finals at Tottenham Hotspur’s expense with a 2-1 win on Wednesday (4-3 agg).
The onus was on Juventus to attack after they conceded two away goals in the first leg, but Tottenham had the stronger start of the two sides.
The Londoners had a penalty shout for a Giorgio Chiellini handball turned down in the 13th minute even though the ball struck the defender’s arm inside the area. However, they were not demoralised and continued to push forward. Two minutes later, Harry Kane was set up by Dele Alli’s through pass and he took the ball around Gianluigi Buffon, but fired into the side-netting.
Spurs had a lucky break at the other end in the 17th minute, when Jan Vertonghen slid in on Douglas Costa and caught him in the penalty area, but referee Szymon Marciniak once again declined to point to the spot.
By and large, Tottenham showed the greater attacking intent in the first half. Son looked particularly threatening. He narrowly missed a chance in the 38th minute, firing just wide of the far post, but made amends straight afterwards.
A lovely Spurs move was cut out by Andrea Barzagli’s challenge on Alli, but Kieran Trippier pounced on the ball and cut it across the face of goal for Son to finish at the far post. Although he didn’t strike the ball cleanly, he was able to squeeze it past the scrambling Buffon.
Juventus looked thoroughly rattled by this stage and their frustrations began to boil over. Barzagli was a serial culprit, looking to kick lumps out of Son at every given opportunity.
However, an inspired substitution from Massimiliano Allegri changed the complexion of the game. Stephan Lichtsteiner came on for Medhi Benatia in the 61st minute and played a crucial role in the Italian side’s equaliser three minutes later. His cross from the right found Sami Khedira, who flicked on towards the far post for Gonzalo Higuain to tap in.
Higuain turned provider for Juve’s second goal, playing Paulo Dybala in behind the defence with a perfectly-timed pass. Dybala lifted the ball over Hugo Lloris and into the top corner to give the Turin giants the lead in the 67th minute.
Spurs pushed forward in search of a late equaliser, but Juventus held firm at the back. Chiellini in particular was immense, throwing himself at everything that came his way.
Kane went inches away from sending the game to extra time. However, his 90th minute header hit the far post after he got on the end of a Ben Davies cross.
That was to be Spurs’ last real sniff at keeping their Champions League dream alive. Last season’s beaten finalists live to see another day after snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
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