Juventus manage to score a late goal to beat Lyon 1-0 in the Europa League quarter-final first leg at the Stade de Gerland on Thursday evening.
Leonardo Bonucci scored the only goal of the match in the 84th minute in a game that lacked action for most parts.
The game started slowly as players from either sides were feeling each other out, and the first opportunity came to the visitors though Andrea Pirlo couldn’t beat the wall with his free kick.
Lyon crowded the midfield with Steed Melbranque effectively man-marking Pirlo, while both Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio were denied room in the centre of the park.
The hosts kept the reigning Italian champions at bay for most of the first half and created two good chances just before the break.
Melbranque forced a save from Gianluigi Buffon at his near post, while Jimmy Briand squandered a golden opportunity from the set piece as he lofted the ball over from just a few yards from goal.
The best chance in the opening half for the Italian side fell to Carlos Tevez. Pirlo played a beautiful pass for the Argentine but he could’t break his European goal drought, which now stands at 24 games, as he missed a header from a tight angle.
The second half slowly started to pick up pace as Remi Garde’s men were presented with two free kicks within the first ten minutes, one of which produced a fabulous save from the Juventus keeper, who parred away Samuel Umtiti’s curving shot for a corner.
Subsitutes, Sebastian Giovinco and Mirko Vucinic combined really well to put Mauricio Isla in very good positions on a couple of occasions but the Chilean failed to capitalize on the situations.
Kwadwo Asamoah went close from long range, before Mirko Vucinic missed a sitter after showing great ball control when he skied the ball in front of goal.
The visitors became more threatening as the second period went on and their hard work finally paid off as Bonucci scored after Pogba’s shot was blocked from a set piece, which Lyon twice failed to clear.
Remi Garde’s men brought on Nabil Fekir and Clinton N’Jie as they pursued an equaliser, but in the end it was Juve who emerged victorious and take a one goal lead back the Juventus Stadium.
