03 November 2015
Juventus showed all of their battling qualities to earn a point in Tuesday evening’s pulsating Champions League encounter against Borussia Monchengladbach, in which they were forced to play almost 40 minutes with ten men following Hernanes’ dismissal.
Andre Schubert’s men entered the match on the back of a marvellous six-game winning streak in the Bundesliga and they quickly demonstrated their high-pressing and attacking powers in an opening period which saw Mahmoud Dahoud hit the crossbar moments before Fabian Johnson capitalised on Giorgio Chiellini’s mistake to give the hosts an 18th minute lead.
From the midway point in the half, however, the Bianconeri grew into the contest and created a number of chances themselves before Stephan Lichtsteiner, making his first appearance since late September through injury, capped his return to action with a spectacular first-time volley in the 44th minute, which sailed past Yann Sommer to ensure the sides entered the break on level terms.
Juve showed early promise after the interval but were held back in their pursuit of a winner, when Hernanes received his marching orders on 53 minutes for a sliding tackle on Alvaro Dominguez.
The numerical disadvantage saw an energetic Gladbach regain the initiative and they might have taken all three points themselves had they not come up against Gigi Buffon in irresistible form for the visitors, as the captain showed world-class reflexes to keep out both Lars Stindl and Thorgan Hazard late on, ensuring that his side earned a hard-fought draw, which sees them sit in second place in Group D, five points above Sevilla in third.
The match began with an early half-chance for Juventus after Paulo Dybala’s free-kick from the right flank arrived through a sea of bodies to Alvaro Morata, but the Spaniard could not quite sort his feet out and hit his volley over the crossbar.
But it would not take long for Borussia to assert themselves on proceedings, Dahoud fizzing a fierce long-range shot that cannoned off the bar to the relief of the Bianconeri.
Cheered on by a vocal home support, Gladbach were executing their pressing game to perfection and duly took the lead in the 18th minute when Chiellini miscued Oscar Wendt’s cross into the path of an onrushing Johnson, who kept his cool to tuck neatly past Buffon.
With their tails firmly up, the hosts continued to push forwards in numbers and create chances, as a clever short corner saw Raffael arrow a venomous strike towards the top corner, which had Buffon back-peddling hurriedly to tip clear.
The goalscoring opportunities would eventually come for the away side after 26 minutes when Chiellini almost made amends for his earlier error by heading just wide from Dybala’s corner.
And they would go even closer on 39 minutes, when Patrice Evra leapt rose well to meet Dybala’s free-kick from the right, forcing Sommer into a fine save low down at the near post.
Juve were knocking on the door with another quickfire Morata effort from range and a pinpoint Pogba cross that almost released Dybala in on goal, when they deservedly drew level in the most spectacular of fashions.
With a minute to go until the break, Pogba played a perfectly-weighted ball over the top of the defence to Lichtsteiner, who had made a well-timed run into the box and steered a fabulous first-time volley into the far corner. The goal was the Swiss full-back’s first in the Champions League.
In the second half the Bianconeri picked up from where they had left off, Pogba curling inches wide before Dybala forced Sommer to tip clear for a corner.
Allegri’s men received a major setback on 53 minutes, however, when Kuipers gave Hernanes his marching orders for a diving challenge on Dominguez.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Juventus were doing their best to maintain a goal threat and on the hour-mark Pogba’s free-kick brushed the side netting.
But the sending off would ultimately take its toll on their ability to sustain the pressure on their hosts, who regained the initiative, controlling 80 per cent of possession in the second period.
Juve were forced to contain Borussia in numbers, but it would be their last line of defence in Buffon to make a pair of telling interventions in the final quarter of an hour.
On 77 minutes, the experienced stopper got down low to keep out Stindl’s point-blank header, then on 89 minutes he flung himself across goal to tip Hazard’s dipping drive against the bar to ensure that Allegri’s charges move onto eight points in Group D, five above third-placed Sevilla, who lost at home to table-topping Manchester City.
BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH
Sommer; Nordtveit, Christensen, Dominguez, Wendt; Traorè, Dahoud, Xhaka, Johnson (Hazard 85); Stindl; Raffael
Unused substitutes: Heimerot, Brouweser, Schulz, Drmic, Hrgota
Coach: Schubert
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Sturaro (Lemina 87), Marchisio, Pogba; Hernanes; Dybala (Cuadrado 63), Morata (Barzagli 75)
Unused substitutes: Neto, Alex Sandro, Zaza, Mandzukic
Coach: Allegri
