Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/507285
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 6 MAY 2015 20 CARLOS Tévez's penalt y gave Ju- ventus the edge in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid CF after a gripping contest in Turin. A vibrant start from the home side brought early reward as Ál- varo Morata struck against the club he left last summer, but Ma- drid responded swiftly and lev- elled before the half-hour with Cristiano Ronaldo's ninth goal in this season's UEFA Champions League and 76th overall. Juve, however, regained the initiative through Tévez's penalt y early in the second half, giving them a slender but valuable lead to take to Spain next week. Juventus, in their first semi-final since beating Madrid in 2002/03, started at pace and were in front before ten minutes had been played. Stefano Sturaro – making his first UEFA Champions League start – and Morata had already tested Iker Casillas before Clau- dio Marchisio played a pass into Tévez down the right channel. The Argentinian's low shot was only pushed out by Casillas and Morata could not miss. Madrid 's response was swift, Toni Kroos bringing Gianluigi Buffon into action for the first time before Isco's pass gave Ro- naldo the chance to stretch his legs; the shot was dragged across the face of goal. The next chance came Juve's way, as Stephan Lich- tsteiner got the better of Marcelo down the right and advanced into the penalt y area, but his hurried shot was slashed wide. Three minutes later, the full im- pact of that miss was felt as Madrid levelled with a fine goal. With the ball bouncing into the home pen- alt y area, James Rodríguez lifting a volleyed cross in for Ronaldo to nod past Buffon from close range. The momentum had shifted and it was Madrid who should have scored the third goal of a thrill- ing first half. A slick passing move worked the ball from right to left, Isco breaking clear and cross- ing for James. From two metres out and with the goal beckoning, the Colombian somehow headed against the crossbar; Marcelo's follow-up effort landed on the top of the net. Although the second half start- ed at a more considered pace than the first, it burst into life in the 56th minute as Juve counterat- tacked at speed. Morata slipped in a pass to Tévez, who burst into the penalt y area only to be felled by Dani Carvajal. The Argentin- ian picked himself up to slot the penalt y past Casillas. Madrid were unable to muster a second equaliser as Juventus preserved their one-goal advan- tage with some degree of comfort. Indeed, it was the newly-crowned Italian champions who came clos- est to another goal, first as Raphaël Varane failed to cut out a long ball and substitute Fernando Llorente rounded Casillas. Carvajal was there to beat Roberto Pereyra to his fellow replacement's cross. Llorente passed up an even bet- ter opening in added time hav- ing been picked out in space by Andrea Pirlo's free-kick. His weak header was blocked by the goalkeeper, leaving the tie finely balanced. Sport SPORTTODAY FOOTBALL Juventus - Real Madrid .........................2-1 Today 20:45 Barcelona - Bayern Munich UEFA Champions League results and fixtures Tévez gives Juventus the edge against Real Madrid Carlos Tévez settled the first leg in the Italian champions' favour after Cristiano Ronaldo had cancelled out Álvaro Morata's early tap-in Carlos Tévez gives Juventus the lead from the penalty spot Cristiano Ronaldo is mobbed after making it 1-1