Adrien Rabiot found the net twice and Dusan Vlahovic was on target, but Angel Di Maria was the star with a hat-trick of assists as Juventus saw off Maccabi Haifa 3-1, although the woodwork was rattled three times.
The Bianconeri lost both their opening two Champions League games to PSG and Benfica, so were desperate for a result to get them off the mark. Federico Chiesa, Paul Pogba and Kaio Jorge were still injured, with Arkadiusz Milik only fit for the bench and Leonardo Bonucci rested.
Dusan Vlahovic nodded over early, then forced the goalkeeper into a fingertip save at the far bottom corner on a Juan Cuadrado lay-off.
Vlahovic eventually drilled wide after Filip Kostic had opted for the pass rather than go for goal himself, then Di Maria fired over when off balance.
Juve broke the deadlock when Di Maria placed a through ball to release Adrien Rabiot, who blasted into the roof of the net from a tricky angle.
Di Maria was the creator again after the restart, an absolutely inspired and perfectly weighted slide-rule pass sending Vlahovic clear on goal to beat the ‘keeper one-on-one.
Maccabi Haifa had a huge chance when Omer Atzili unleashed a long-range scorcher that Wojciech Szczesny palmed onto the frame of the goal.
Vlahovic had the ball in the net from a tight angle on another Di Maria pass, but this time the offside flag was up.
Instead, Maccabi Haifa got one back with a wonderful through ball from Tjaronn Chery to release Din David, Szczesny came rushing out and missed, allowing the striker to deposit into an empty net.
Moments later, Maccabi threatened an equaliser, Leonardo Bonucci making a big block on David from another Chery assist.
Szczesny scrambled across to reach the Atzili free kick, but was rescued again by the frame of the goal.
Juve survived the scares and consolidated their lead with a Rabiot header on a corner, giving Di Maria his third assist of the match.
Moise Kean could’ve had a fourth, firing straight at the goalkeeper, but Atzili hit the woodwork for the third time with a low curler off the base of the far post, then forced a Szczesny save in the same move.
Juventus 3-1 Maccabi Haifa
Rabiot 35, 83 (J), Vlahovic 50 (J), David 75 (M)
6 goals in 2 games. Shhh. No ref help needed.
where’s the LORD now
Please come back when the 7/9 lose, but I guess you are a bed wetter who likes hiding under the sheets. A relegation team and a pub side should be standard formalities. Haifa hit the post and nearly made it 2-2. PhD Max is a genius. 2 wins and league and CL success is in the bag. Flinstone Max must ditch calcio and move onto bigger things such as leading an expedition to outer space and bring back black hole calcio Turin.
Lord Allegri … grow up
🤣 Fatecisognare you walked right into that and acknowledged the donkey name. Unreal.
average performance – the goal we let in was pathetic – they also hit the post