Sporting CP 1-1 Juventus (agg: 1-2): Juve hold off hosts to progress

Juventus withstood late pressure from Sporting CP to reach the UEFA Europa League semi-finals for the first time since 2014 after a tight second leg in Lisbon.

Match in brief: Juve hold off Sporting

Adrien Rabiot is mobbed after giving Juventus an early leadGetty Images

The Serie A team had scored in the closing stages in Turin last week and doubled that 1-0 advantage within nine minutes. Sporting were unable to clear a Federico Chiesa corner and Adrien Rabiot made them pay with a close-range finish on the turn.

The home side responded well, however, and seconds after a loose ball rebounded off Danilo and onto his own post, Rabiot conceded a penalty by clipping Manuel Ugarte in the box. Marcus Edwards duly converted from the spot, slotting down the middle to level on the night.

Marcus Edwards scores Sporting's equaliser from the penalty spotGetty Images

The home team might have been back on terms on aggregate before the break but Ousmane Diomande headed just wide and although the Portuguese team settled more as the game progressed, their chances to score were rare.

Indeed, Juventus almost restored their second-leg lead when Juan Cuadrado's cross found Dušan Vlahović but, stretching slightly, the striker could only head over from close range.

Sporting began to press with time running out, Ricardo Esgaio failing to capitalise on errors from Danilo before Sebastián Coates missed a volley and an attempt back across goal as Juventus survived.

Luis Piedade, Sporting CP reporter

The home side failed to repeat their round of 16 heroics against Arsenal, but they leave the Europa League with their heads held high after a valiant performance in the second leg. Sporting gave it their all, with only a second goal lacking. Having gone toe-to-toe with Juventus, they will feel they were unfortunate not to at least take the tie to extra time.

Try as they might, Pedro Gonçalves and his team-mates were unable to force extra timeGetty Images

Fabio Balaudo, Juventus reporter

It was a night of suffering for Juventus, but it was worth it for what they have achieved. Massimiliano Allegri's team held off Sporting CP's attacks with determination and focus, conceding only from the penalty spot. Despite a couple of late scares, their reward is a place in the semi-finals.

Reaction 

Ricardo Esgaio, Sporting CP defender: "We leave the competition with our heads held high and with pride for our performance against top teams like Arsenal and Juventus, but not for the final outcome. We managed to play eye-to-eye with them and leave a good impression."

Massimiliano Allegri, Juventus coach: "It was a good day as we reached the semi-finals. We suffered. We did good things at the beginning of the second half, but we have to do better when it comes to our chances. We knew it would be difficult, but we are bringing home a good result."

Key stats

• Juventus have reached the Europa League semi-finals for the first time since losing to Sporting's Lisbon rivals Benfica in 2013/14.
• Edwards' goal was the first Juve had conceded in five Europa League games; no side has ever kept five successive clean sheets in the knockout phase.
• The Bianconeri have lost only one of their last 24 Europa League matches, qualifying included (W13 D10).
• Juventus are into a 22nd semi-final in UEFA competition, an Italian record.
• Sporting have won only two of their last 22 European matches against Italian clubs (D8 L12).
• The Lions have lost only two of their 17 matches in the Europa League knockout phase (W8 D7).

Line-ups

Sporting CP: Adán; Diomande, Coates, Gonçalo Inácio (Reis 81); Ricardo Esgaio, Ugarte, Morita, Nuno Santos (Arthur Gomes 87); Edwards, Francisco Trincão (Chermiti 81), Pedro Gonçalves

Juventus: Szczęsny; Danilo, Bremer (Gatti 71), Alex Sandro; Cuadrado, Miretti (Pogba 71), Locatelli, Rabiot, Chiesa (Kostić 78); Di María, Vlahović (Milik 71)