SPURS HIG SICK!
Gonzalo helps to dump Poch
TOTTENHAM’S Champions League dream turned into a nightmare as Juventus came from behind to sink Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
Pochettino (right) challenged his players to become heroes after their stunning two-goal comeback in Turin three weeks ago put them in the driving seat with vital away goals.
But it was the Italian giants who turned it around at Wembley last night to break Spurs’ hearts and book their quarter-final place.
Heung-Min Son looked to have put Spurs in control, his scuffed first-half effort leaving veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon helpless.
But Juve roared back after the break with two ® goals in just three minutes. Gonzalo Higuain bagged the first, turning in Sami Khedira’s header before Paulo Dybala beat the offside trap to smash the ball past keeper Hugo Lloris.
Harry Kane came agonisingly close to forcing extra-time at the death but his header hit the post and rolled along the line before being hacked away.
Pochettino said: “In both legs we were the better team but in football not only do you need to deserve it, you need to score goals.
“We are disappointed but it is about growing and keeping going.”
SPURS suffered Champions League heartbreak at Wembley last night.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side thought they had all-but qualified after the heroic 2-2 draw in Turin.
But Juventus showed real European pedigree with two goals in three minutes to turn the tie.
Spurs took the lead when Heung-Min Son was on the mark after 39 minutes.
The Korean kept up his amazing recent record at the national stadium with a vital, if flukey, opener.
Strike
Since December 6, Son has bagged 11 goals – all of them at Wembley.
Spurs kept up Pochettino’s promise of going all-out for a win, even though a low-scoring draw would have seen them through.
Son’s strike came after Christian Eriksen picked out the run of Dele Alli into the box.
Alli’s attempt at an angled drive was blocked by Medhi Benatia. The ball broke to Kieran Trippier and he drove it straight across goal to Son.
The 25-year-old swung with his right foot but missed the ball, only for it to strike his trailing leg and loop into the net past Gianluigi Buffon.
Juve hit back in the 64th minute with Gonzalo Higuain equalising.
Three minutes later Higuain, scorer of both goals in Turin, sent Paulo Dybala clean through to beat a ragged offside line, and lash in.
Son had forced Buffon to beat away a rasping left-foot shot in the fifth minute after zipping past Andrea Barzagli.
Alli sent Harry Kane surging into the box in the 15th minute and although the hitman skipped past Giorgio Chiellini, he cut his shot from an angle into the side-netting.
In the 17th minute Jan Vertonghen missed a challenge on Douglas Costa and the winger went tumbling in the box. Despite protests from Juve, no
spot-kick was given but replays showed Vertonghen had clipped Costa’s left leg as he burst past him.
Son headed a Trippier cross on target but Buffon pushed the ball away and Chiellini got in a superb block to stop Son.
Vertonghen was booked in the 28th minute for chopping down Dybala before Alli struck a half-volley decently but too close to Buffon.
Dragged
Son went on another dynamic run into the box following a pass from Ben Davies in the 39th minute. But after dummying Chiellini, he dragged his left-foot shot well wide.
He only had to wait a minute for his opener but after the goal Spurs looked vulnerable and Miralem Pjanic pulled an effort just wide.
Coming out for the second half Juve appeared to be moaning at ref Szymon Marciniak about not giving a penalty.
The injustice seemed to motivate them. Dybala fluffed a chance to fire in a half-volley after a Davinson Sanchez clearance fell kindly for him.
Seconds later, the Italian side were level. Sub Stephan Lichtsteiner curled in a cross from the right, Khedira nodded on and poacher Higuain deflected home with a prodded volley.
Then he set up Dybala and suddenly Spurs were staring at a Euro exit. TOTTENHAM (4-3-3): Lloris; Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies; Dembele, Dier (Lamela 74), Eriksen; Alli (Llorente 84), Kane, Son. Subs: Vorm, Rose, Wanyama, Sissoko, Moura. JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Buffon; Barzagli, Benatia (Lichtsteiner 61), Chiellini, Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi (Asamoah 60); Dybala, Higuain (Sturaro 83), Costa. Subs: Szczesny, Marchisio, Rugani, Bentancur. Referee: Szymon Marciniak (Poland).