Monaco 0-2 Juventus: Alves and Higuain find the winning formula
Juventus put one foot in the final in Cardiff on June 3, most likely against Real Madrid
Alves set up two goals for Higuain leaving the Old Lady on the verge of progressing
Dani Alves to Gonzalo Higuain. That was the formula and it was a formula that worked.
MON
0 ________________ 2
JUV
LINE UP
Mónaco
Subasic, Dirar, Glik, Jemerson, Sidibe, Bakayoko (Moutinho 66'), Fabinho, Bernardo Silva Almamy Touré 81'), Lemar (Germain 67'), Mbappé y Falcao.
Juventus
Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Pjanic (Lemina 89'), Marchisio (Rincón 81'), Dani Alves, Dybala, Mandzukic e Higuaín (Cuadrado 77').
Goles
0-1 M. 29 Higuaín. 0-2 M. 59 Higuaín.
Árbitro
Mateu Lahoz (España). Amonestó a Bonucci, Fabinho, Marchisio y Chiellini
Campo
Stade Louis II.
It was a formula that helped Juventus take a huge step towards the Champions League final with an impressive victory over Monaco on Wednesday night, their experienced heads keeping the Ligue 1 side right where they wanted them.
While Alves used to set up goals for another Argentine, he has a new partner in crime.
Juventus made the early running with Higuain inexplicably failing to reach Alves' inviting cross, and also falling over to end another promising Paulo Dybala attack.
At the other end 18-year-old Monaco hotshot Kylian Mbappe had the first two big chances, denied twice by his veteran nemesis, the 39-year-old Gianluigi Buffon.
The first was a header directed straight at the stopper, the second a flicked effort from a Nabil Dirar cross whicht he Italian fielded at his near post.
Higuain had another chance in the 25th minute, sending a volley from an awkward angle spinning across the area but nobody could reach the Argentine's ball.
However with a big handful of help from Alves, that was about to change. The former Barcelona right-back broke from deep, feeding Higuain and then driving into the area to reach the return pass. He backheeled the ball superbly into the path of the striker, who swept it home.
It was a marvellous goal, perhaps the finest of the tournament, with Dybala making a backheeled contribution earlier in the move to set Alves off for good measure.
Higuain's 29th minute strike was his fourth of the competition, the 30th of his campaign, the most important of the season for him, shown by his wild celebration running towards the Juve fans, over the running track behind the Stade Louis II hordings.
And the pair were at it again in the second half. Dybala and Alves worked their way in down the right, with the latter crossing for Higuain to convert at the back post. As easy as that.
The rest of the game was simple for Juventus, who are experts at seeing out matches in these situations.
Giorgio Chiellini was lucky to avoid a red card for an elbow to Radamel Falcao's head, just as Sergio Ramos did on Tuesday, but there was little else of note as the Old Lady's old hands dug in and saw out the match with an advantage that should see them reach the Cardiff final on June 3.
