Ten man Porto knock Juventus out of Champions League

Porto made it through to the Champions League quarter-finals after a thrilling match in Turin. Porto came into the match with a 2-1 lead and took the lead after 19 minutes when Sergio Oliveira scored a penalty. Federico Chiesa levelled in the 49th minute after an assist by Cristiano Ronaldo and then Porto's Taremi was sent off for a second yellow card. 

Juventus made used of the extra man to go 2-1 ahead when Chiesa headed home a Cuadrado cross. The game went to extra-time with Juve dominating, but Porto struck in unlikely fashion. Sergio Oliveira's free-kick in the 115th minute went under the wall and beat Szceszny at his post. Adrien Rabiot headed Juve level from a corner seconds later, but were unable to get another goal which would have taken them through on away goals. 

Cristiano Ronaldo was once again knocked out at the last 16 stage of the Champions League with Juventus. He has only once made the quarter-finals in his three years at the Italian side and that was because of his superb individual display to score a hat-trick and knock out Atletico Madrid back in 2019. The defeat is yet another setback for Andrea Pirlo's side who are off the pace in Serie A and are now out of Europe. The goals only tell half the story in what was an action packed game though. 

Both teams could have scored in the opening five minutes through Uribe and Morata and then Taremi hit the crossbar after seeing his first effort stopped by the Juve goalie. Demiral's foul on Taremi allowed Sergio Oliveira to put Porto ahead, but Juve kept attacking and that saw Porto have a spell which could have easily seen them get a second. Corona, Otavio and Sanusi could have all easily scored while Juve just had a sole Morata chance saved. Sergio Oliveira had another opportunity to make it 0-2 just before the interval, but Juve were a different outfit in the second period. 

 

March 9, 2021

Chiesa levelled after Ronaldo laid off Bonucci's pass and then Taremi picked up two quickfire bookings, the second for booting the ball away after the whistle had gone. Chiesa was then denied by the woodwork on 56 minutes, but he wasn't to be denied seven minutes later. He headed home a Cuadrado cross from the far side and there looked no stopping Juve from there. 

After a lull, the game opened up again in the last 10 minutes. Chiesa was denied by GK Marchesin and then Marega hit the side-netting at the other end. Alvaro Morata thought he had won it in stoppage time, but the flag was up as he was offside. Juan Cuadrado then hit the crossbar in the 93rd minute with a long range effort and the tie went to extra-time. 

Both teams played positively in the extra 30 minutes and Marega should have done better with his header at the keeper after a well taken short corner. Despite plenty of Juve pressure, Porto so nearly scored in the 111th minute, Diaz took advantage of a Cuadrado slip to pass to Grujic, but his weak effort was deflected. Then, disaster struck for Juve in the 115th minute. 

Porto got a free-kick and Sergio Oliveira's shot went under the wall, Szczesny got a hand to it, but could only knock it onto the post and into the goal. That left Juve needing two and despite Rabiot heading home Bernardeschi's corner within seconds, Porto withstood a late Juve siege to book their place in the last eight.