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Juventus FC came into the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final round against Real Madrid. They weren’t favored to win, so they came in with confidence to prove everyone wrong. That is what Massimiliano Allegri and his team did on Tuesday night as they were able to win 2-1.
Real Madrid started the game out strong as they pressured Juventus in the early minutes, but Juventus never gave up. Alvaro Morata gave Juventus the 1-0 lead in the 8th minute. Cristiano Ronaldo hit the equalizer it in the 29th minute to make it 1-1. A penalty given to Juventus got them on board when Carlos Tevez put it in the net taking the lead 2-1.
Juventus, who started their first semi-final game since beating Madrid in the 2002/03, began at pace as well and were able to score with in the first eight minutes of the game. Stefano Sturaro, who made his first UEFA Champions League start, and Morata had already tested Iker Casillas in the early minutes. Claudio Marchisio was able to pass the ball into Tevez down the right channel. Tevez’s low shot was only pushed out by Casillas and Morata could not miss as the net was right in front of him and gave his team the 1-0 lead. Players called for offsides but did not get one.
In the 29th minute, Madrid equalized with a fine goal. With the ball bouncing into the home penalty box with a pass from Dani Carvajal. James Rodriguez was able to lift a volley and cross it for Ronaldo to nod the ball past Gianluigi Buffon from a close range and make it a 1-1 game.
Real Madrid was the better team for the rest of the first half and had an opportunity to add a second goal. A nice passing move worked the ball from right to left, Isco was able to break clear and center it for James. From inside the danger zone and the goal open, James somehow headed the ball against the top of the crossbar and was followed by Marcelo‘s volley that landed on the top of the net.
The second half started out at a more considered pace than the first, but it was not until the 56th minute that Juventus brought life back into the game. Carvajal brought down Tevez inside the penalty box when both went for the ball and as they battled it out, Tevez was fouled by Carvajal. Tevez was able to step up to the penalty spot and form 12 yards got it past Casillas to make it a 2-1.
With a goal ahead, Juventus made themselves comfortable for the rest of the second half and did not allow Real Madrid to find the equalizer. As the game came to a close, Juventus’s fans celebrated as their team got the win. With this one goal lead, Juventus will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu to play the second leg next Wednesday night and hope to secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League final, which will be held in Berlin June 6th.
Real Madrid will have to come back form this defeat and win their next game by two goals to advance to the final of the Champions League. One goal will not do enough due to the away goal rule, so they will need to keep Juventus scoreless as well.