Maccabi Haifa stun Juventus as Bianconeri’s woes continue

Group H

Maccabi Haifa 2-0 Juventus 

Juventus were humiliated 2-0 by Maccabi Haifa in Israel, lost Angel Di Maria to another injury, their Champions League campaign is in tatters and Max Allegri has nowhere left to hide.

The Bianconeri were back in crisis mode after Saturday’s 2-0 Serie A defeat to Milan, already trailing joint group leaders PSG and Benfica by four points, making this a must-win game in Israel. Angel Di Maria was suspended domestically, but returned here, with Arkadiusz Milik not fully fit, Mattia De Sciglio, Federico Chiesa and Kaio Jorge injured. Maccabi Haifa missed Suf Podgoreanu, Yosef Raz Meir, Dolev Haziza and Mahmoud Jaber.

The hosts had the first chance, Frantzy Pierrot’s header parried by Wojciech Szczesny from six yards, and after repeated crosses came in from the left flank, one of them found the head of Omer Atzili, Szczesny unable to flap it off the line at the far bottom corner.

It was almost 2-0 on 12 minutes, as Chery curled a free kick over the wall and off the top of the crossbar, then Szczesny was at full stretch to fingertip the Atzili curler round the far post.

Things got even worse for Juventus, because Angel Di Maria was running after a pass when he suddenly stopped and pulled up clutching the back of his right thigh, limping off to be replaced by Arkadiusz Milik.

Atzili’s volley flashed just wide from yet another cross coming from the left, and Atzili doubled both his tally and Maccabi Haifa’s lead with a wonderful goal.

He gathered down the right side of the penalty area and feinted a curler to the far top corner, but instead smashed it with ferocity into the near top corner, surprising Alex Sandro and Szczesny.

Juventus finally created a chance on the stroke of half-time, Dusan Vlahovic’s header from a Juan Cuadrado cross palmed away and Milik unable to tap in the rebound.

They introduced Manuel Locatelli and Filip Kostic after the restart, raising the intensity at least, Daniele Rugani’s header finger-tipped out of the top corner.

Juan Cuadrado had a very strong penalty appeal waved away and ignored by VAR, as he seemed to be barged over in the box by Cornud.

Cuadrado was their most effective player and had an angled drive parried, while Milik’s long-range strike was smothered. The Israeli side saw off their Italian opponent’s advances to record a memorable victory.