PSV Eindhoven delivered an unforgettable performance to turn around a first-leg deficit and secure their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, beating Juventus 3-1 on the night to send them out of the competition.
The first 20 minutes were lively both on the pitch and in the stands, but there were no real chances for either team, as Juventus held firm against PSV’s early pressure in front of a passionate Philips Stadion crowd. Both goalkeepers had an easy start, with PSV’s Walter Benítez being called into action first to save a deflected shot from Andrea Cambiaso. That was the only shot on target in the first half, with Thiago Motta, PSV’s manager, likely the happier of the two, as his team managed the game well.
PSV, who had only four shots in the first half, came out strong in the second. In the opening three minutes, Ivan Perišić tried to replicate his goal from the first leg, but Juventus keeper Michele Di Gregorio stopped him, before Noa Lang fired wide from a tight angle. In a thrilling start to the second half, Randal Kolo Muani missed Juve’s first real chance of the match, before Perišić scored a brilliant goal. Lang dribbled inside from the left and passed the ball to Perišić, whose perfect first touch set him up to volley the ball powerfully into the bottom corner.
Juventus were again under pressure, but Federico Gatti made crucial clearances, including heading away a goalbound header from Luuk de Jong. Just when it seemed PSV might take control, Timothy Weah scored a stunning half-volley from the edge of the box to give Juventus the lead on aggregate. The game then became one of the most thrilling UCL knockout matches in recent years, as Ismael Saibari reacted quickly to bundle in a deflected cross and level the tie, sending it to extra time.
Although the intensity dropped at the start of extra time, PSV continued to dominate and should have taken the lead on aggregate when Saibari failed to beat Di Gregorio from a tight angle. However, the breakthrough came in the 98th minute, when Ryan Flamingo tapped in from close range after a scramble in the Juventus box. The drama wasn’t over, as Dušan Vlahović hit the post from six yards out, but PSV held on to secure their place in the last 16, where they’ll face either Inter Milan or Arsenal.
