Three points secured at Allianz Stadium

The Bianconeri now have four points from two games in the Champions League

Juventus claimed all three points by defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 at Allianz Stadium on Tuesday evening in their second Champions League fixture. Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring, while second half goals from Federico Bernardeschi and Cristiano Ronaldo added to the tally.

Maurizio Sarri welcomed the return of Alex Sandro at left-back, while Bernardeschi came on in place of Aaron Ramsey to form an attack alongside Higuain and Ronaldo.

HIGUAIN DECIDES FIRST HALF
The Germans started off well with some high pressing, but it was the Bianconeri who would take the lead through their first shot on target. Cuadrado crossed the ball over the top, Tah couldn’t get to it and it fell for Higuain who turned on his marker and fired it straight into the back of the net with a low effort, with 17 minutes on the clock. Bayer Leverkusen reacted well after going a goal down, as they pressed harder in their approach which saw Leonardo Bonucci forced into making a clearance off Vollard’s cross-cum-shot. A second chance fell to Higuain in the 38th minute when a misplaced pass saw him unleash a powerful drive towards goal, but Hradecky denied him by palming it away with both gloves.

ROCK AND GOAL BERNA
After the break, Leverkusen introduced Amiri in place of Demirbay, while Juventus came out with the same 11 players. It was Leverkusen who had the first shot at goal in the second half, when Havertz struck on the volley and fired towards goal, only to see it go wide of the posts. Bernardeschi then saw his effort fly over the goalframe, while Ronaldo saw his save denied by the goalkeeper. The Bianconeri were certainly the team asserting themselves more in front of goal, as they went in search of a second goal. The hard work paid off as Juventus then doubled their lead just after the hour mark through Bernardeschi. Higuain pulled the ball back on the byline, Ronaldo stepped over it as it fell to the feet of the Tuscan attacker, who then sliced it home to make it 2-0.

THREE GOALS, THREE POINTS
Higuain was putting in a great performance through his movements, passes and goalscoring opportunities, and he created a great goalscoring opportunity for Ronaldo in the 75th minute. He burst down the flank and rolled the ball across to Ronaldo to chase down, but the visiting goalkeeper burst off his line and gathered the ball. Paulo Dybala was introduced into the game in place of fellow countryman Higuain in the 82nd minute of the game, and he walked off the field to a deserved standing ovation by the home crowd. It was a solid and impressive display by the Bianconeri, who were seemingly in control of the fixture from start to finish. This was only made further evident when Ronaldo got the final goal on the night: Bentancur passed to Dybala, who then threaded it through to Ronaldo as he poked it at goal to send the ball through the legs of Hradecky and into the back of the net. Three goals, three important points for the Bianconeri!