As It Happened: Monaco 0-2 Juventus


Good evening and welcome to Nigerianeye's live text coverage of the Champions League semi-final first leg between AS Monaco and Juventus at the Stade Louis II.


The hosts come into this match having won seven of their last eight in all competitions and looking to reach the final for just the second time in their history.

Juventus, on the other hand, have progressed from seven of their last eight Champions League semi-finals and come into this one still in the hunt for a treble this season.

Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.































Another test against a free-scoring attack comfortably dealt with by Juventus, then. This win will send a warning out to the Madrid clubs that Juventus are very much in the running for the Champions League title this year, and they have put one foot in the final with this 2-0 away victory. Gonzalo Higuain's brace means that Monaco need to score twice in Turin next week against a Juventus side who have conceded just twice in the whole competition to date - a huge asked for Leonardo Jardim's youthful squad. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the match!



90+3 min FULL TIME: Monaco 0-2 Juventus

90 min CHANCE! Huge chance for Monaco to give themselves a lifeline in the tie! Again it comes from a free kick that is floated into a good area and Germain connects with it well, but Buffon is there to tip it over the crossbar.


89 min JUVENTUS SUB: A third and final change from the visitors sees Mario Lemina replace Pjanic.

88 min Monaco have a chance to pull one back late on as they win a free kick in a good crossing position. Moutinho swings a beauty into the middle, but Falcao is just short of making contact with it.

86 min Juventus are just allowing Monaco to control possession now, even in their half, but they are defending their box very stubbornly. No way through so far for the hosts.

84 min Juventus are looking so comfortable at the moment and they will have many people backing them if they get to the final - as it looks like they will after this first leg. They have kept Barcelona's attack at bay and are doing the same to Monaco here - the two most potent attacks in Europe. Could Ronaldo and co of Real Madrid be next?

82 min MONACO SUB: Monaco also make a sub - their third and last of the night - as Almamy Traore replaces Silva.

81 min JUVENTUS SUB: Another change for Juventus as Tomas Rincon replaces Marchisio.


81 min Rare mistake from Chiellini, but he gets away with it. The Italian was trying to cut the ball out at his near post but it squirmed under his foot before bouncing across the face of goal and to safety.

79 min For one brief second it looks as though Falcao may have a chance to reduce the arrears as he collects the ball with his back to goal inside the area, but it bounces up and hits his hand.

77 min JUVENTUS SUB: Higuain will not be emulating Ronaldo by getting a semi-final hat-trick tonight - he makes way to be replaced by Juan Cuadrado in Juve's first change of the night.

75 min Very nearly a chance for Monaco to pull one back, but it is quickly snuffed out by Bonucci. Moutinho chips a lovely ball over the defence for Silva, who chests it down before Bonucci gets a foot in. The referee blows for a handball against the Monaco man anyway, but that was a good bit of invention from Moutinho at least.

73 min SHOT! Moutinho tries to get that goal in style, letting fly from 30 yards out but seeing his powerful strike fly well over. Juve will be happy as long as the shots continue to arrive from out there.


71 min Monaco have less than 20 minutes to rescue themselves in this tie. A 2-0 home defeat to Juventus would leave them needing a hugely unlikely comeback in Turin, where Juve have been almost untouchable this season. Monaco need at least one goal to keep the tie alive.


69 min YELLOW CARD! Chiellini is the latest player in the book for an elbow on Falcao - something the referee saw and brandished his yellow card very quickly. That could have been a red card with a different referee.

67 min MONACO SUB: The hosts make a double change as they chase the game now, with Bakayoko and Lemar making way to be replaced by Valere Germain and Joao Moutinho.

65 min...and here is that second goal from Higuain - and just as importantly, that second assist from Alves.


63 min The Juventus striker has really stepped up to the plate tonight...

61 min There is a long, long way back for Monaco in this tie now. They need at least one goal tonight, but right now they are looking a bit shell-shocked. Juventus may be just one step too far for them at this stage of their development.

59 min Tie over? Juventus have their second away goal of first leg and, having never scored an away goal in a Champions League knockout tie before tonight, Higuain how has two to his name. Dybala and Alves hound Bakayoko in possession and win the ball to immediately launch a counter-attack. Dybala pokes it into the path of Alves, who floats an inch-perfect cross to Higuain, who slides in and steers the ball past Subasic. Another big goal from the striker, but he owes a massive thank you to Alves for that delivery.


59 min GOAL! Monaco 0-2 Juventus (Gonzalo Higuain)


58 min YELLOW CARD! Marchisio gets his name taken by the referee for a cynical trip on Fabinho.

56 min This has been end-to-end stuff so far in this second half, and this time it is Monaco's turn to come forward through Dirar down the right. He cuts a low cross into the area, but Mbappe is just short of connecting with it.

54 min CHANCE! Another shooting chance for Juventus, and this one is a lot more dangerous. Marchisio steals possession in a dangerous position and suddenly finds himself with only Subasic to beat, but the Monaco keeper sticks out a leg to make a big save which could well keep his side in this tie.

52 min SHOT! Alves tries his luck from range at the other end of the field as the ball drops nicely for him, but his dipping volley is never really threatening Subasic's goal.

51 min SAVE! Another stop for Buffon to make, but this is routine for a keeper of his quality. Bernardo Silva lets fly from range and catches his shot well enough, but it is straight at Buffon and he gathers comfortably.

49 min It looks as though Jardim has told his side to go out there and attack Juventus in this second half. They are playing with a much better tempo and have threatened to get in behind the visitors on a couple of occasions already since the interval.

47 min CHANCE! The hosts have made a very bright start to this second half, and they are close to levelling things up within less than two minutes of the restart. Silva threads a pass through to Falcao in the box and the striker takes it into his path but can only fire a tame finish straight at Buffon.

46 min KICKOFF: Monaco get us back underway for the second half, and it is a huge 45 minutes which awaits the hosts here. You feel that they need at least one goal.



The first half comes to an end at the Stade Louis II and it is Juventus who have the crucial away-goal advantage as things stand. It has been an entertaining contest so far with chances for both sides, but Monaco must push for a goal in the second half if they are to boost their chances of progressing through to the final.



45 min HALF TIME: Monaco 0-1 Juventus

44 min Higuain now has 30 goals for the second consecutive season, but he has been accused of failing to shine in the big games in the past. Not today, though!

42 min Monaco's pressure is just beginning to grow a little bit more towards the end of this half, but Juventus are looking solid and have done ever since that good spell for the hosts between the 14th and 20th minutes.

40 min Monaco come forward through Mbappe again, and the youngster tries to find Falcao in the box with an outside-of-the-boot cross. It almost makes it too, but it is cut out before Juventus eventually complete the clearance.

38 min SAVE! The resulting free kick is of interest to both Dybala and Pjanic, but it is the former who takes it on and curls one over the wall that Subasic collects with minimum fuss. Decent effort, but not good enough.

37 min YELLOW CARD! Fabinho goes into the book for a crunching challenge on Pjanic.

35 min Here is that clinical team move from Juventus in all its glory...

33 min Monaco look for an immediate response as Lemar swings a lovely free kick into a very dangerous area, but Higuain gets a crucial toe to it before it finds Bakayoko. What's more, the officials didn't see the touch and Juventus have a goal kick to relieve the pressure.

31 min That is a devastating reminder for Monaco of the fine margins at which matches at this level can be decided. Monaco have had chances themselves to be ahead, but they could end up ruing them following that crucial away goal.

29 min First blood goes to Juventus, and what a fine team goal this is from the visitors! Marchisio, Dybala and Alves are all involved in a slick team move that cuts Monaco apart with a series of quick passes and lovely flicks. Alves caps it off with a lovely back-heel into the path of Higuain, who strokes his finish into the bottom corner.

29 min GOAL! Monaco 0-1 Juventus (Gonzalo Higuain)

27 min No goals so far, but this match is finely poised as we approach the half-hour mark. It has ebbed and flowed between the two sides, with both enjoying spells in the ascendancy so far.

25 min CHANCE! Decent sight of goal for Juve as Chiellini flicks a corner on to the back post, where Higuain is waiting. The striker tries a first-time volley, but hooks it back across the face of goal when he should have at least hit the target. He got that one all wrong.

23 min We're midway through the first half now and, after a bright start from Juventus, it is Monaco who have created the best chances of the game and perhaps should be in front.

21 min YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night is shown to Bonucci for a rash sliding challenge on Falcao.

20 min CHANCE! The original corner comes to nothing, but the ball soon arrives back into the middle and Glik climbs highest. The defender cannot steer his header on target, though.

19 min CHANCE! Another sight of goal for the hosts as Falcao soars above Barzagli at the back post and gets a good, firm header towards goal. It may just be clipping the post on the way behind, but Buffon is taking no chances and pushes it wide.

18 min Juventus will be relatively pleased with how they have started this match, but they have already dodged two warning shots from Mbappe and they may not be so lucky if there is a third time. Mbappe again goes dancing down the right touchline here, but this time his cross is blocked.

16 min CHANCE! You just cannot switch off from this Monaco attack for one second. Dirar curls a fine ball around the defence for Mbappe, whose pace and movement leaves the defence for dead. He gets a good first-time touch on his volley to turn it goalwards too, but Buffon makes a really smart save down low to his left.

14 min Marchisio's eyes light up as the ball drops kindly to him just outside the area, but he gets his attempted volley all wrong and skews it a long way off target.

14 min CHANCE! Big chance at the other end of the field as Mbappe peels away from Manzukic in the box and has a free header in the middle of the area. It really is a great chance for the youngster, but he plants his header straight at Buffon.

12 min CHANCE! Chance for Juventus to grab an early away goal here, and it is more fine football from the visitors. Alves fires the ball into the area for Higuain, but he can't make the most of the opening.

10 min Lovely football between Alves and Dybala as the pair exchange passes to send Alves to the byline down the right channel. Mandzukic wants the ball stood up at the back post, but Alves instead fires a low one straight into the arms of the keeper.

8 min Poor from Monaco as they give the ball straight to Dybala, who embarks on a good run down the left flank before pulling the ball back towards Higuain. The striker looks set to collect it just outside the area, but mysteriously falls over before he can get there and a decent position goes begging.

5 min Juve have made a good, confident start to this match as they look to settle into the game quickly. Still very early days, but it has been a promising opening so far.

3 min The first thing to tell you is that Juve have indeed gone for three at the back as expected once the team sheets were released. Interesting to see how both teams adapt to that!

1 min KICKOFF: Here we go then! We're underway at the Stade Louis II for this mouth-watering contest!
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