Juventus kept their hopes of securing automatic qualification for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 alive with a 2-0 victory over SL Benfica at the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus began the match at a high tempo and came close to opening the scoring inside the first few minutes. Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin was forced into a full stretch save to deny Kenan Yildiz, whose curling effort from the edge of the area was heading towards the top corner. The Turkish international threatened again shortly afterwards, creating space in a similar position before sending his second attempt narrowly wide.
As the first half progressed, Benfica began to enjoy longer spells of possession and created their first clear opportunity midway through the half. Georgiy Sudakov tested Michele Di Gregorio with a firm effort that the Juventus goalkeeper could only parry, with Lloyd Kelly reacting quickly to clear the rebound before it could be turned home. The match remained open and competitive, and Juventus nearly took the lead on 36 minutes when Fabio Miretti met a cross unmarked in the penalty area but directed his header just over the crossbar.
Juventus emerged from the interval with renewed intensity and applied sustained pressure on the Benfica defence. Trubin was again called into action in the 54th minute when he blocked a close range effort from Weston McKennie. The breakthrough arrived moments later, as Khephren Thuram found space outside the area and struck a low shot into the corner of the net to give the hosts the lead.
Benfica were dealt another setback soon after when McKennie combined effectively with Jonathan David, allowing the forward to finish confidently past Trubin and double Juventus advantage. The visitors continued to search for a way back into the contest and came close when Fredrik Aursnes struck the woodwork with a header from inside the area.
With ten minutes remaining, Benfica were handed a potential lifeline when a penalty was awarded following a VAR review. Vangelis Pavlidis took responsibility from the spot but slipped as he struck the ball, sending his effort wide and drawing loud celebrations from the home supporters.
The result marks a third consecutive Champions League victory for Juventus, representing a strong recovery after a difficult start to the league phase. The Italian side will travel to face AS Monaco in their final match, knowing that another win could secure a place in the top eight, depending on other results. Benfica remain in contention for the knockout play off round, but must defeat Real Madrid in their final fixture and rely on favourable outcomes elsewhere.
