Bayern Munich vs Juventus match report: Pep Guardiola's bold moves drag Bayern back from the brink
Bayern Munich 4 Juventus 2 (Bayern win 6-4 on aggregate)
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Your support makes all the difference.Two inspired substitutions by Pep Guardiola saved Bayern Munich in the Champions League last night, Kingsley Coman and Thiago Alcantara stepping off the bench to overhaul a 2-0 Juventus lead in a stunning game at the Allianz Arena.
With Coman having set up the two goals that took the tie to extra time – Thomas Müller equalising in the 90th minute – Thiago played a one-two with Müller before firing home to put Bayern 5-4 ahead on aggregate.
Then, with Juventus reeling after coming so close to pulling off a famous victory, Coman, ironically on loan from the Italian club, broke down the right and curled in Bayern’s fourth.
Paul Pogba had shocked the Allianz Arena after just five minutes by giving Juventus the lead. A long ball down the right from Sami Khedira created indecision between David Alba and the on-rushing goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. In the confusion, Juan Cuadrado’s challenge turned the ball into the centre and Pogba showed composure to fire a low shot into the empty net.
Bayern tried to muster a response but found it hard to get beyond Juventus’s pressing game, with Franck Ribéry and Douglas Costa starved of space on the wings.
Yet the home defence had always looked shaky against Juve’s attempts to counter and so it proved in the 28th minute. A Bayern move broke down on the edge of the Italians’ penalty area and Alvaro Morata was away. A stunning 60-yard run took him past four Bayern players before laying the ball off to the unmarked Cuadrado, who turned inside a desperate challenge before firing high past the exposed Neuer.
It was the same pattern after the break, Morata twice getting beyond the toiling Alba down the left, on the second occasion his 15-yard shot being deflected over the bar after he left Joshua Kimmich on the ground.
Bayern inevitably enjoyed plenty of possession but scarcely created a clear-cut chance against the disciplined Juventus defence. Guardiola grew more and more agitated on the touchline and finally threw on Coman.
It proved to be the decision that saved them. With 17 minutes to go Coman found space on the right and played the ball back for Douglas to deliver a delicious cross to the far post, where Robert Lewandowski could hardly miss with his header.
Still Juventus refused to be rattled and as the clock ticked down they appeared to be on course for victory. However, Coman had the final say, whipping over a cross from the right on the 90th minute for Müller, inevitably, to head past Gianluigi Buffon and take the tie to extra time.
Bayern Munich (4-1-3-2): Neuer; Lahm, Kimmich, Benatia (Bernat, h-t), Alaba; Alonso (Coman, 60); Douglas, Vidal, Ribéry (Thiago, 101); Müller, Lewandowski. Substitutes not used: Ulreich, Rafinha, Götze, Rode.
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Khedira (Sturaro, 68), Pogba; Cuadrado (Pereyra, 89), Hernanes, Alex Sandro; Morata (Mandzukic, 71). Substitutes not used Neto, Zaza, Asamoah, Rugani.
Referee J Eriksson (Sweden).
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