Morata Fires Brace in Juventus Win at Dynamo Kyiv

Alvaro Morata scored twice as Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus opened their Champions League campaign with victory at Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday evening.

Morata followed up Dejan Kulusevski’s shot to fire in the opener and sealed the win with a well-taken header.

Juve were without Cristiano Ronaldo following his positive coronavirus test and initially struggled in his absence.

Federico Chiesa and Ronaldo’s replacement Kulusevski both had first-half shots saved by Georgi Bushchan.

The Italian champions also lost experienced defender Giorgio Chiellini to what appeared to be a hamstring injury before the break, shortly after he had headed just wide from a corner.

But the second half saw a much improved display, with Spaniard Morata’s alertness and prowess in front of goal the launchpad for their campaign.

He was quickest to react after Bushchan had saved Kulusevski’s shot early in the second half and predatory in steering in his headed second from Juan Cuadrado’s cross late in the game.

The double made it three goals in four days for the striker on loan from Atletico Madrid, after he scored in draw against Crotone at the weekend.

Wales’ Aaron Ramsey also impressed playing just behind the front two, and it was his back-heel that set up the Kulusevski shot leading to the opener.

The game had an air of ‘master against apprentice’ to it, with Pirlo making his Champions League managerial bow against Mircea Lucescu, the man who gave him his professional debut as a 16-year-old at Brescia in 1995.

Italian champions for the last nine seasons but without a Champions League title since 1996, Juventus turned to their former player after sacking Maurizio Sarri in the summer.

They have been inconsistent in Serie A so far, dropping four points in their four opening games, but this is is an encouraging start in continental competition, which also included the first appearance for Paulo Dybala under the former Italy international.

He will be hoping to have Ronaldo – scorer of 130 Champions League goals and owner of five winners’ medals in the competition – back for the visit of Barcelona to Turin in the next round of Group G fixtures.

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