Youth League, Juventus-Benfica 1-1 in the 92nd minute: the reigning champions stopped

Montero’s team finds the final 1-1 against the reigning champions. Red to goalkeeper Scaglia in the 35th minute

First point in the Youth League for Juve Primavera, with team spirit and the great desire to never give up. The draw (1-1) with the reigning champion Benfica matures only at the end, in full recovery: but after playing an hour in ten. And that’s enough to move the group standings and keep the qualification ambitions for the next round alive. Many of the Portuguese on the field (including Ndour, former Atalanta and the Italian national team, who is considered the new Pogba) were on the field in Nyon on 22 April in the match against Bonatti’s group, in the semifinal of the last edition. Montero, on the other hand, leaves home all the over-quota who had participated in the first expedition to Paris (badly lost) and relies on many rookies.

DEFENSE JUVE OK

The bianconeri, like their opponents, lost on their seasonal debut in the competition. For this reason, the match immediately goes live at a good pace and is directed towards a series of duels that do not allow distractions. The defensive wall supported by Huijsen and Dellevalle appears solid (unlike the match with PSG) and Scaglia only has to check, when prompted. Diego Moreira first and Ndour later manage to be seen only on a free kick, because the bianconeri defend well as a team. And they are also able to restart with Ripani, so much so that between the two set pieces of the guests they produce the first real chance of the match with Hasa, served on the insertion by Yildiz: André Gomez takes refuge in the corner.

JUVE IN 10

Juve grew in intensity and in the 34th minute hit the post with a header from Turco, on a cross from Rouhi. Immediately afterwards, however, he remained in ten for the expulsion of goalkeeper Scaglia, punished for a sprawling exit just outside the penalty area on José Precalado: the decision of Mr. Sjoberg appears exaggerated, since there were close to the goalkeeper two teammates. Montero is forced to give up Galante to allow Daffara to go on goal, while Moreira still fails to hit the goal on his second personal free-kick attempt. The number 11 of Benfica is still the most dangerous of him and tries even before the interval (left a little high).

ADVANTAGE BENFICA

The Lusitanians restart strong but Juve does not look bad, especially when their technical leaders create in the opposing half of the field. He is better than Yildiz, replaced by Mbangula. But, just when Montero puts the load on the attack, Semedo cold Daffara with a great shot from distance. Moreira immediately tries to double, but this time he finds the goalkeeper’s prompt response. While the bianconeri in the long run suffer from numerical inferiority, while continuing to attack with all available strength. Benfica try to manage, Ripani and Hasa, however, are a cut above the others and Turco and the newly entered Mancini deserve more on a couple of attempts before the ninetieth.

DRAW IN EXTREMIS

Juve really believes in it until the end, and in the end they are rewarded. Because Coser in the 92nd minute is rather naive in committing a foul in the area on Maressa, who at the end brings a lot of pressure to the Juventus left side. Huijsen misses the first execution from the spot, but on the rebound Mbangula hits the center and brings the match back into balance. The result will be the final one, but there are still emotions to be experienced. Because Benfica also found the 2-1 goal at the end, with Coser: the referee saw and whistled a foul on Dellavalle. So we go straight to the locker room with one goal on each side: it is a draw that can give a lot of new awareness to the guys from Montero.

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