Champions League: Benfica fight back to leave Juventus at risk of early exit

Benfica fought back to secure a 2-1 win at Juventus, with goals from João Mário and David Neres maintaining their perfect start in Group H and leaving their hosts without a point from their first two Champions League games.

Juventus took a fourth-minute lead when Arkadiusz Milik climbed highest inside the box to head the ball into the bottom-left corner from Leandro Paredes’ free kick. The Italian side dominated much of the first half, but Mário levelled just before the break from the penalty spot after Fabio Miretti was penalised for fouling Gonçalo Ramos.

Benfica maintained their momentum in the second half, with Neres putting them ahead in the 55th minute. The Brazilian winger fired home on the volley after Rafa Silva’s shot had been parried into his path by Mattia Perin. Juve could not find an equaliser, with Bremer missing a late opportunity to salvage a point.

“I already told the team these moments happen in football, [and] we need to emerge from them as a team, with a sense of responsibility,” the Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Sport Italia. “It will certainly be difficult [to reach the knockout stages], but not all is lost.”

Juventus are six points behind both Benfica and Paris Saint-Germain, who fought back from a goal down to beat Maccabi Haifa 3-1 in Israel. Tjarron Chery put the hosts in front after 24 minutes, stretching to convert Dolev Haziza’s perfect cross – but PSG were level 13 minutes later as Kylian Mbappé’s cross deflected into the path of Lionel Messi, who fired home from close range.

Haifa continued to threaten, with chances falling to Frantzdy Pierrot and Omer Atzili before Vitinha created an opportunity for Messi, who went close on the hour mark. The Argentinian then turned provider