Juventus defeat PSV 3-1 in Champions League opener
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz celebrates scoring their first goal during Champions League match between Juventus vs PSV Eindhoven at Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy on September 17, 2024. Photo REUTERS
Juventus made a triumphant return to the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven at home on Tuesday, aided by two swift goals from Kenan Yildiz and Weston McKennie in the first half. Yildiz and McKennie gave Juve a 2-0 lead at half-time, marking coach Thiago Motta's European competition debut. Nicolas Gonzalez added a third goal after the break before Ismael Saibari scored a late consolation for PSV in stoppage time.
Juventus, regular participants in the Champions League, returned to the competition after a year’s absence. They missed out last season for the first time since 2011-12 due to a points deduction related to transfer dealings. The club was also banned from European competitions last season for breaching UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play rules, though they denied any wrongdoing.
PSV, who lead the Eredivisie with a flawless 15 points from five matches, were forced to play without their first-choice goalkeeper Walter Benitez, who left Turin just before the match to be with his family after the birth of his son.
This was the first competitive meeting between the two former European champions, leading to a high-energy start. Yildiz opened the scoring for Juve in the 21st minute with a superb curling shot from inside the box, which left PSV goalkeeper Joel Drommel helpless as it went in off the post.
Yildiz's goal made him Juventus’ youngest-ever scorer in the Champions League at 19 years and 136 days, surpassing the previous record set by Alessandro Del Piero in 1995. McKennie then doubled Juve’s lead in the 27th minute, finding the net from close range after an earlier effort had been blocked.
Despite PSV’s increased efforts in the second half, Gonzalez secured the win for Juventus in the 52nd minute with a powerful strike into the top corner after a low cross from Dusan Vlahovic. Saibari managed to score a late consolation goal for PSV in added time, as Juventus conceded their first goal of the season, having remained unbeaten in their first four Serie A matches.