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UCL: Gonzalo Higuain puts Juventus in command against Monaco

Higuain with the goals and the evergreen Dani Alves with the assists!

UCL: Gonzalo Higuain puts Juventus in command against Monaco

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain celebrates his first goal (Photo: AFP)

Gonzalo Higuain’s goals in either half ensured Juventus now have one foot in the UEFA Champions League final, and the Bianconeri beat Monaco 2-0 away in the first leg of their semifinal at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday night. 

What was billed as the best attack in Europe versus the best defence didn't pan out as expected, with the Italians tempering the French side’s fire without much fuss. And, the two away goals effectively sealed their place in 2016-17 final at Cardiff.

Leonardo Jardim’s side trotted out in their standard 4-4-2 formation with in-form forwards Radamel Falcao and Kylian Mbappe leading the line even for the hosts while Juventus made one change of note, as Claudio Marchisio came in for the suspended Sami Khedira.

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It was Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon’s 100th Champions League game and the veteran made important saves at key moments in the game but the match belonged to wing-back Dani Alves.

The former Barcelona defender, at 33 years of age, proved he is arguably the best right-back in the world with two sterling assists for Higuain’s goals.

Juve took the lead a minute before the half-hour mark, with a brilliant team move involving Paulo Dybala, Alves and Higuain. Dyabal’s deft flick found Higuain who in turn released the Brazilian on the right flank and as the full-back was crowded out he shoed immense presence of mind to back-heel the ball back into Higuain’s path. And the Argentine hitman calmly stroked the ball past Daniel Subasic to give the Bianconeri a vital away lead.

Monaco had a couple of chances before conceding, with Mbappe twice going close to scoring only for Buffon to stand firm. The first, a free header was straight at the 39-year-old keeper but the second, a first-time shot from a low cross tested the veteran’s reflexes a bit.

Half-time approached with Juventus in cruise control but Monaco were looking dangerous each time they broke and the tie was very much in the balance with 45 minutes to play.

The hosts had a couple of chances in the early stages of the second half, with Falcao unable to beat Buffon in a one-on-one situation in the 47th minute. That chance proved to be costly as Higuain arrived at the far post to guide home Alves’ chipped cross a minute before the hour-mark to give Massmiliano Allegri’s men a stranglehold in the tie. Again, Dybala had been involved heavily in the build-up, the young Argentine winning possession in the Monaco half before releasing Alves on the right. The Brazilian looked up and sent in an inviting cross which Higuain gratefully lapped up.

The return leg is set for next week but as Juventus continue to extend their extraordinary record of clean sheets in the continental competition, it will be a mere formality as the Italians have proved this season that their defence is impenetrable.

With Real Madrid in a similar position as the Turin-based side after their first leg, it is likely that it will be a Madrid-Juventus clash in the final on June 3. 

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