Porto punish sloppy Juventus twice from kick-off to take first leg lead despite late Chiesa goal
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ByEurosport
Updated 17/02/2021 at 23:36 GMT
Champions League, Estadio do Dragao – Porto 2 (Taremi 1’, Marega 46’) Juventus 1 (Chiesa 82’)
Moussa Marega of FC Porto celebrates with Mehdi Taremi after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between FC Porto and Juventus at Estadio do Dragao on February 17, 2021 in Porto,
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Juventus conceded in the first minute of each half and now have it all to do to remain in the Champions League after falling to a 2-1 defeat in their last-16 first leg tie with Porto.
Porto made a lightning start to the contest and led after just 63 seconds thanks to a gift from Rodrigo Bentancur. The Juve midfielder sold his back pass short to Wojciech Szczesny and Mehdi Taremi intercepted to slide home from six yards out.
Juventus' pain was compounded when Giorgio Chiellini hobbled off with a suspected calf problem, and at the interval Andrea Pirlo's side were deservedly trailing in what was perhaps their worst 45 minutes of the season.
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Giorgio Chiellini of Juventus competes for the ball with Moussa Marega of FC Porto during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between FC Porto and Juventus at Estadio do Dragao on February 17, 2021 in Porto, Portuga
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But worse was yet to come. Immediately after the restart, Porto doubled their lead as the visitors were caught sleeping from kick-off once again. Wilson Manafa drove down the right flank and cut it back for Moussa Marega, who beat Szczesny at his near post.
Stunned into action, Juventus rallied and managed to grab an all-important away goal with just eight minutes remaining when Federico Chiesa turned in Adrien Rabiot's cross. It was the first goal Porto conceded in over eight hours of play in the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had a quiet game by his standards, had an appeal for a penalty turned away in the dying stages, and Juventus now have to win in Turin when the teams meet again on March 9.
TALKING POINT - Away goal gives lacklustre Juve hope
As bad as Juventus were on the night, Pirlo will be relieved his side are still alive in the tie.
Juventus made the worst start imaginable, and they never truly recovered. Off the back of a devastating league defeat to Napoli on Saturday, the early setback sucked the confidence out of the Serie A champions. Their passing was ragged, there was no intensity, and their defence, at times, was non-existent. For such an experienced side to concede twice almost immediately from kick-off was completely shambolic.
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Cristiano Ronaldo - Juventus Turin
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There looked to no way back as shell-shocked Juventus toiled in response in search of a goal. Porto goalkeeper Agustin Marchesin was rarely tested, but Chiesa's huge late strike provides Juventus with real optimism going into the second leg. Crisis, potentially, averted.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Moussa Marega (Porto)
Carried his explosive form in the group stages into the knockout stages with Porto's second goal. Not only that, his work rate and tireless running off the ball was vital to how Porto defended from the front.
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Moussa Marega of FC Porto celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match between FC Porto and Juventus at Estadio do Dragao on February 17, 2021 in Porto, Portugal
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Porto: Marchesin 6, Manada 7, Mbemba 6, Pepe 6, Zaldu 6, Uribe 6, Sergio Oliveira 7, Corona 6, Otavio 6, Marega 7, Taremi 7.. subs: Loum N/A, Luis Diaz 5, Grujic 5, Francisco Conceicao N/A
Juventus: Szczesny 6, Alex Sandro 6, Chiellini 5, De Ligt 6, Danilo 6, Bentancur 4, Rabiot 6, McKennie 5, Chiesa 6, Kulusevski 6, Ronaldo 6.. subs: Morata 6, Demiral 6, Ramsey 5.
KEY MOMENTS
2' - GOAL! Porto 1-0 Juventus (Mehdi Taremi): What a start to the game for Porto! Bentancur sells a short back pass to Szczesny and Taremi is alert, beats him to it and slide in from six yards to give the hosts the lead after 61 seconds!
46' - GOAL! Porto 2-0 Juventus (Moussa Marega): They've done it again! Another lightning start from Porto, and they have their second! Manafa speeds down the right, pulls it back to Marega, who slots it home at Szczesny's near post. Should the goalkeeper have done better? The defence most definitely should!
82' - GOAL! Porto 2-1 Juventus (Federico Chiesa): How important could this goal prove to be?! Rabiot races down the flank and crosses from the byline, picking out Chiesa. His scuffed shot finds the bottom corner, and Juve have their away goal!
KEY STATS
- Mehdi Taremi's goal for Porto after 63 seconds is the quickest scored in the Champions League knockout stages since David Alaba scored for Bayern Munich in the quarter-final against Juventus in April 2013 after 24 seconds.
- Federico Chiesa is the first Juventus player other than Cristiano Ronaldo to score a goal for the Bianconeri in the Champions League knockout stage since Blaise Matuidi in April 2018 (in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid).
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