JUVE BEAUTIES
Kane and Eriksen on mark as Spurs make comeback
TOTTENHAM produced a heroic two-goal fightback to rescue their Champions League dream last night here against mighty Juventus.
Spurs were two down inside nine minutes courtesy of Gonzalo Higuain’s volley and a penalty, but Harry Kane’s clever run and finish pegged the Italian champions back.
Higuain smashed a second penalty against the bar just before half-time and Christian Eriksen punished Juve when his free-kick beat Gianluigi Buffon to haul Spurs level for the March 7 second leg.
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THEY love a Champions League comeback, Tottenham. Even by their standards, however, this was something special. November 19, 2017, was the last time Juventus conceded twice in a game. They haven’t let so much as a goal in since December 30.
So to come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 in the Allianz Stadium was a recovery to stand beside any in recent times. This is a club aiming for its seventh consecutive Serie A title, one that has contested two Champions League finals in the last three seasons.
Tottenham, as Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged, remain shy of experience at this level.
Yet they have tremendous ability and resolve. They rose above a hopeless opening nine minutes to steer a path back into the game, and emerge on top. A low-scoring draw would do them in the return leg at Wembley. Not that they should shrink from aiming high. Taking the game to Juventus, they were more than a match.
The equaliser came after Giorgio Chiellini had fouled Dele Alli on the edge of the area — and, yes, it was a foul, not a dive. Christian Eriksen took responsibility and somehow managed to send the mighty Gianluigi Buffon the wrong way with a pretty straight shot. It was low, to the left, but Buffon had initially set off in the opposite direction, before correcting. Too late. Tottenham were level, the locals stunned into silence.
They had not conceded twice here since a cup match more than a year ago — January 11, 2017, against Atalanta. But we all know the status of the Coppa Italia. This was different. This mattered.
Tottenham have had some worse halves in Italy, it must be said. Four goals and a man down on Inter Milan in 2010 wasn’t the greatest start. Yet there is a world of difference between an inconsistent Inter under Rafael Benitez and the Juventus defensive machine. To go two goals down in nine minutes here, as Tottenham did, looked disastrous.
It is to their enormous credit then that they fought back and went in at half-time trailing 2-1 — although that also required a huge slice of luck, via a missed penalty.
First things first, though — what the hell happened? Well, invention happened, Gonzalo Higuain happened, as did some frankly suicidal defending. Mousa Dembele dived in rashly and gave away a free-kick on Miralem Pjanic some 30 yards from goal. Pjanic stood over the ball with Federico Bernardeschi. The Italian made as if to take it, but pulled out mid-run. Pjanic took over and clipped the ball a short distance to Higuain. Somehow, he was unmarked.
Dele Alli saw the danger and left his man, but too late. Ben Davies appeared to be flagging up the trouble from the left. The central defenders were all gathered on the far side where Juve had decoy forces massed.
It was a quite brilliantly worked set-piece and Higuain gave it the finish it deserved. He met the ball on the volley and in one movement finished it. Juventus were ahead with their quickest goal in this competition since Alessandro Del Piero scored against Manchester United in 1997. For Tottenham, worse was to come. At least the first goal was smart. The second was the result of clumsiness.
Mario Mandzukic played a crossfield ball, left to right, and Davies appeared to have lost his place on the pitch, and his sight of the danger around him. He studied the ball, was blindsided by the man and ended up making a rash, misjudged tackle that upended Bernardeschi: a clear penalty.
Higuain stepped up and, while Hugo Lloris read his kick correctly, both hands could do nothing to stop it nestling in the left corner. With 171 minutes of the tie left, some were already speculating Tottenham looked done. Yet they have character, this side, and have shown it on many occasions in Europe this season. Gradually,
they came back into the game. Slowly, they probed for a way through. Not easy when Juventus, at times, had 11 men within 25 yards of their goal. It is easy to see why their defensive record is so exceptional.
Yet there were lapses and Tottenham edged closer. A tumble by Harry Kane under pressure from Medhi Benatia was not greatly impressive, and was rightly rejected by referee Felix Brych — but after 26 minutes he lost his marker and met an Eriksen cross with a point-blank header, which Buffon saved. Kane looked for an offside flag to spare his embarrassment. None flew.
Kane had another effort kept out by Buffon and Eriksen tried one from distance that travelled just wide. Then, the duel moments that changed the momentum.
The unconvincing Davinson Sanchez made a mistake as Juve counter-attacked, and suddenly they were in for what looked a surefire third. Higuain exchanged passes with Pjanic, before sizing up his shot in the area. To widespread amazement, he spurned his hat-trick, striking it wide. They should have been 3-0 down — but five minutes later, Tottenham snatched the vital away goal.
It was the unlikeliest build-up, the fearsome Giorgio Chiellini bundled off the ball in midfield by Eriksen, Alli picking up the scraps and feeding Kane. Buffon, haring off his line with too much abandon, allowed Kane to skip around him and slip the ball home.
That this fine work was not undone totally before half-time was no thanks to Serge Aurier. Skinned by Douglas Costa on the flank, he took a reckless swing at full pelt, missed the ball, got the man and left Brych no option but to give Juventus another penalty.
Up stepped Higuain, with another gilt-edged chance for his hat-trick. He smashed it straight, high and against the bar. The whistle blew for half-time. From Tottenham’s point of view, they’ve had it worse and still lived to tell the tale. JUVENTUS (4-3-3): Buffon 5.5; De Sciglio 6, Benatia 6, Chiellini 6, Alex Sandro 6; Khedira 6 (Bentancur 66min, 6), Pjanic 8, Douglas Costa 5 (Asamoah 90+2); Bernardeschi 7, Higuain 8, Mandzukic 7 (Sturaro 76). Subs not used: Szczesny, Marchisio, Rugani, Muratore. Scorers: Higuain 2, 9 (pen). Booked: Benatia, Higuain, Betancur. Manager: Massimiliano Allegri 6. TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Aurier 5, Sanchez 5, Vertonghen 6.5, Davies 6; Dier 6.5, Dembele 8; ERIKSEN 8.5 (Wanyama 90+2), Alli 7 (Son 83), Lamela 6 (Lucas Moura 89); Kane 7. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Rose, Sissoko. Scorers: Kane 35, Eriksen 71. Booked: Davies, Aurier. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7. Referee: Felix Brych 6. Attendance: 41,232.