Juventus edged Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on Tuesday evening in the first-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie.
The Bianconeri went ahead early through Carlos Tevez, but were pegged back swiftly by Marco Reus. Alvaro Morata then put the Serie A side into the lead once again just prior to the halfway stage, thus sealing a narrow victory.
The match began in frantic fashion, with former Juventus and Torino striker Ciro Immobile shooting just over in the opening minute for the visitors.
Dortmund were pressing high at every opportunity, but it was leaving the German outfit exposed at the back on the rare occasions Juventus were able to evade their challenges.
That very circumstance saw the Italian champions take a 13th-minute lead through Carlos Tevez following a breakaway by Alvaro Morata.
Morata’s cross-shot from the left was spilled inexplicably by Borussia goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, which fell invitingly for Tevez to squirm the ball home under pressure from the sliding Marcel Schmelzer.
Their advantage lasted only five minutes, though, when usually reliable defender Giorgio Chiellini slipped over in his own half. Marco Reus pounced on it like a flash, as he deceived Gianluigi Buffon into diving the wrong way when finishing beautifully from 20 yards out.
Juventus tried to get back into the ascendancy when Tevez hooked the ball back from the by-line for strike-partner Morata to nod wide. Andrea Pirlo then sent over a free-kick which was headed over by defender Leonardo Bonucci, who perhaps should have done better.
Dortmund right-back Lukasz Pizczek was replaced by Matthias Ginter shortly after the half-hour point when taking the brunt of a hefty Paul Pogba challenge.
Midfielder Nuri Sahin decided to try his luck from distance when firing a stinging shot that was parried away with great uncertainty by Juve captain Buffon.
Moments later, Pirlo trooped off disconsolately through a knock, with Roberto Pereyra coming on in his place.
The home support were becoming increasingly frustrated as Dortmund exerted some control, but all was forgiven when Spaniard Morata handed Juventus a massive boost approaching half-time.
Danger-man Tevez played a lovely through-ball for Pogba, who crossed low into Morata’s path to sidefoot into the bottom-right corner.
Apart from a Ciro Immobile effort straight at former team-mate Buffon, there was little goalmouth action to speak of in the first 20 minutes of the second period in stark contrast to the fast-paced start.
However, Argentine forward Tevez wormed his way through a crowd in the 71st minute to fire just wide of the left-hand upright in a bid to liven up proceedings.
Immobile made way to whistles for substitute Jakub Blaszczykowski as the contest entered its final fifteen minutes.
Weidenfeller beat away a powerful shot from the lively Tevez as Juventus went in search of a third, before Chiellini headed over the bar from the resultant corner.
Juventus sub Pereyra just missed the far post when bursting through on goal with four minutes remaining, as the hosts looked for an even wider margin of victory.
