The Champions League is back in full swing this week with a first round of matches on Tuesday. In the early evening, two matches were on the programme including the entry into the competition of Thiago Motta‘s Juventus, back in the Champions League after a season without Europe. The Old Lady opened the doors of its Allianz Stadium in Turin to PSV Eindhoven for this first day. Frenchman Pierre Kalulu was notably a starter on the flank of the defence. Khéphren Thuram started on the bench. While the Dutch showed great things from the start, Kenan Yildiz quickly opened the scoring (21st) to put his team on the ball. The Turk sent a formidable curling missile into the top corner. With knives between his teeth, Weston McKennie doubled the lead almost immediately (27th). A thunderous first half for the Italians.
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In the other match played simultaneously, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa travelled to Switzerland to challenge Young Boys Bern on the pitch at the Stadion Wankdorf. French international Lucas Digne was in the Birmingham club’s starting eleven. During a relatively balanced start, it was the British side who scored first through Youri Tielemans (27th). And one thing is certain: the Villans had no time to lose as Jacob Ramsey (38th) doubled the lead. Ollie Watkins even thought he had scored the third goal (45th) but it was disallowed by VAR. At half-time, Juventus were leading by two points. Same story for Aston Villa.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Already dominant, Juventus continued in the second half. After a high recovery for the Bianconeri, Dušan Vlahović brought the ball up and slipped a ball behind the Dutch defense for Nicolás González. The latter fixed Joël Drommel and finished with a curled shot under the crossbar (52nd). Juventus were sheltering and it was now looking too complicated for PSV Eindhoven. The Dutch were completely let down by their defense. Despite several attempts by Johan Bakayoko on his side, PSV never managed to get their heads above water. Too bad, because the first minutes suggested good things. Note the goal scored by Ismael Saibari to save honor. Thiago Motta’s Juventus were cruelly efficient, realistic and lethal on the slightest opportunity and therefore logically pocketed this success (3-1) at home. The Piedmontese club will play against Leipzig in Germany, while PSV will welcome Sporting in the Netherlands.
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Meanwhile, 319 kilometres further north from Turin, the duel also continued in Bern. Unai Emery’s troops did not have a lot of work to do. The main part was done during the first half. They even almost continued the festival. Indeed, still as energetic on his left wing, Lucas Digne attempted a nice cross for McGinn who controlled before seeing his left-footed shot blocked by the defence. Ramsey did everything he could to take a powerful right-footed shot but Von Ballmoos pushed the danger back over his goal (64th). Coming on to replace Watkins, Jhon Duran also saw his goal cancelled by VAR (80th) but the inevitable happened with the 3rd goal scored by Amadou Onana (86th). Despite everything, note the attempts by Ganvoula and Ugrinic who forced Martinez to deploy (71st, 74th). Quiet victory for the English (0-3) who will play at home against Bayern. Young Boys will face FC Barcelona in Catalonia.
Pub. and 9/17/2024 8:38 PM MAY and 9/18/2024 06:59
– What were the key moments in the Champions League opener between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven?
Champions League Recap: Juventus and Aston Villa Dominate in Openers
The highly anticipated first round of Champions League matches kicked off on Tuesday, with two exciting encounters that saw Juventus and Aston Villa emerge victorious. In this article, we’ll dive into the details of these thrilling matches and explore the key takeaways from each game.
Juventus vs. PSV Eindhoven: A Dominant Display
Thiago Motta’s Juventus made a triumphant return to the Champions League, defeating PSV Eindhoven 3-1 at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. The Old Lady was back in the competition after a season-long absence, and they wasted no time in making their presence felt.
French defender Pierre Kalulu started on the flank of the defense, while Khéphren Thuram began on the bench. The game got off to a fiery start, with Kenan Yildiz opening the scoring for Juventus in the 21st minute with a stunning curling shot into the top corner. Weston McKennie doubled the lead just six minutes later, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Despite a bright start from the Dutch visitors, Juventus dominated the first half, with McKennie’s goal setting the tone for the rest of the game. The Italian giants continued their relentless pressure in the second half, with Dušan Vlahović playing a key role in the buildup to Nicolás González’s beautifully curled shot under the crossbar in the 52nd minute.
PSV Eindhoven never managed to recover from the two-goal deficit, with their defense crumbling under the pressure of Juventus’ attacking prowess. A late consolation goal from Ismael Saibari was all the Dutch side could muster, as Juventus ran out comfortable winners.
Aston Villa vs. Young Boys Bern: Emery’s Men Impress
In the other match of the day, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa traveled to Switzerland to take on Young Boys Bern at the Stadion Wankdorf. French international Lucas Digne was part of the starting eleven, and the Villans got off to a flying start.
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring in the 27th minute, and Jacob Ramsey doubled the lead just 11 minutes later. The British side was in cruise control, with Ollie Watkins’ goal in the 45th minute disallowed by VAR.
The second half saw Aston Villa continue their dominance, with Emery’s men seeing out the game with relative ease. The 2-0 victory was a testament to the team’s growing confidence under their new manager.
Key Takeaways
Juventus’ dominance at home was evident, with Thiago Motta’s men clinically dispatching PSV Eindhoven with ease.
Aston Villa’s win in Switzerland marked an impressive start to their Champions League campaign under Unai Emery.
Dušan Vlahović’s involvement in the buildup to Nicolás González’s goal highlighted the Serbian forward’s importance in Juventus’ attacking setup.
Lucas Digne’s energetic display on the left wing for Aston Villa was a key factor in their convincing win.
As the Champions League group stages continue, both Juventus and Aston Villa will be looking to build on their impressive starts. With Leipzig and Sporting waiting in the wings for Juventus and PSV Eindhoven respectively, the road ahead promises to be just as thrilling.
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PSV Eindhoven
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Dušan Vlahović
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Weston McKennie
Kenan Yildiz
Youri Tielemans
Jacob Ramsey
Ollie Watkins
Ismael Saibari
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Catch up on the latest Champions League action as Juventus and Aston Villa secure dominant wins in their opening matches. Read our comprehensive recap for all the details and key takeaways from these thrilling encounters.
How did Juventus and Aston Villa perform in their Champions League openers?
Tireless Old Lady, Diabolical Villains: Juventus and Aston Villa Dominate in Champions League Openers
The Champions League has returned with a bang, and Tuesday’s matches did not disappoint. Thiago Motta’s Juventus and Unai Emery’s Aston Villa both secured convincing wins in their respective matches against PSV Eindhoven and Young Boys Bern.
Key Moments in the Champions League Opener between Juventus and PSV Eindhoven
Juventus, back in the Champions League after a season without European competition, hosted PSV Eindhoven at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. The Old Lady dominated the match from start to finish, with Frenchman Pierre Kalulu starting on the flank of the defense and Khéphren Thuram coming off the bench.
The Dutch side showed promise early on, but Kenan Yildiz’s stunning curling shot into the top corner (21st) quickly put Juventus on the front foot. Weston McKennie doubled the lead just six minutes later, and the Italians never looked back.
Dušan Vlahović’s high-pressure recovery led to a beautifully crafted goal for Nicolás González in the 52nd minute, putting Juventus up 3-0. Despite a consolation goal from Ismael Saibari, Juventus cruised to a 3-1 victory.
Aston Villa’s Dominant Display in Bern
Meanwhile, in Bern, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa faced off against Young Boys Bern at the Stadion Wankdorf. Lucas Digne, the French international, started for the Birmingham club and played a key role in their dominant performance.
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring for Aston Villa in the 27th minute, and Jacob Ramsey doubled the lead just 11 minutes later. Ollie Watkins thought he had scored a third goal in the 45th minute, but it was disallowed by VAR.
The second half saw Aston Villa continue to dictate the pace of the game, with replacements like Jhon Duran threatening to score. Although two of their goals were cancelled by VAR, the Villans’ dominance was clear, and they secured a comfortable win.
What’s Next for Juventus and Aston Villa?
Thiago Motta’s Juventus will travel to Germany to face Leipzig in their next Champions League match, while PSV Eindhoven will host Sporting in the Netherlands. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa will look to build on their momentum when they face off against a yet-to-be-determined opponent in their next match.
With their convincing wins, both Juventus and Aston Villa have sent a strong message to their group opponents. The Champions League is back, and these two teams are ready to make their mark.
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