Champions League Reaction: Vlahovic and McKennie Goals Earn Fine Win
Juventus secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on Tuesday night. Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie scored the goals for the Italian giants, who now have a slender advantage heading into the second leg in Turin on March 16.
Juventus started the game brightly and could have taken the lead early on when Vlahovic fired just wide of the post. The Serbian striker was not to be denied, however, and he opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a cool finish from inside the box, his 22nd goal of the season.
Villarreal grew into the game as the first half wore on and had their chances to equalize. Gerard Moreno and Arnaut Danjuma both went close, but Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was in fine form to keep them out.
McKennie adds the second
Juventus doubled their lead early in the second half when McKennie bundled the ball home from close range after a scramble in the Villarreal box. The American midfielder was a constant threat to the Villarreal defense, and he could have added to his tally in the closing stages, but he was denied by a smart save from Geronimo Rulli.
Villarreal pushed for a late goal, but Juventus held firm to secure a vital victory. The Italian side will now be confident of finishing the job in the second leg and booking their place in the quarter-finals.
Player ratings
Juventus
- Szczesny: 8 - Made some important saves
- Danilo: 7 - Solid in defense
- Bonucci: 7 - Calm and composed at the back
- De Ligt: 7 - Made some crucial tackles
- Alex Sandro: 6 - Did well going forward but was caught out defensively at times
- Locatelli: 7 - Controlled the midfield
- Rabiot: 6 - Worked hard but was sloppy in possession at times
- McKennie: 8 - Scored the second goal and was a constant threat
- Dybala: 7 - Provided creativity and set up the first goal
- Vlahovic: 8 - Scored the opening goal and was a handful for the Villarreal defense
- Morata: 6 - Came on as a substitute and added energy to the attack
Villarreal
- Rulli: 7 - Made some good saves
- Aurier: 6 - Struggled to contain McKennie
- Albiol: 7 - Solid in defense
- Pau Torres: 7 - Made some important tackles
- Estupinan: 6 - Was caught out defensively for the first goal
- Parejo: 6 - Controlled the midfield but was unable to create many chances
- Trigueros: 6 - Worked hard but was sloppy in possession at times
- Lo Celso: 6 - Was not as influential as he can be
- Yéremy Pino: 6 - Showed some nice touches but was unable to create any clear-cut chances
- Moreno: 6 - Was a threat but was unable to score
- Danjuma: 6 - Had a few chances but was unable to find the net
Reaction
Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri
"I'm happy with the performance of the team, especially in the first half. We were compact, we defended well, and we created a few chances. We scored two goals, which is important, and we didn't concede any. It was a good night for us.
Villarreal manager Unai Emery
"We're disappointed with the result, but we're still in the tie. We have to go to Turin and win. We know it will be difficult, but we have the quality to do it.
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie
"It was a great team performance. We worked hard and we deserved the win. We're in a good position now but we know the job is not done yet. We have to go to Turin and finish the job.
Analysis
Juventus were the better team on the night, but they were made to work hard for their victory. Villarreal played well in patches, but they lacked the quality to really trouble the Italian side. The goals from Vlahovic and McKennie were both well taken, and they give Juventus a good chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Villarreal will need to produce a much better performance in the second leg if they want to overturn the deficit. The Spanish side have a good record at home, but they will need to be at their best to beat Juventus. It should be a fascinating tie.
Conclusion
Juventus have taken a big step towards reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They were the better team on the night and deserved the victory. Villarreal will need to produce a much better performance in the second leg if they want to overturn the deficit. It should be a fascinating tie.
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Champions League Reaction As Vlahovic And McKennie Goals Earn Fine Win