'Lucky' late Morata hit seals Juventus last-16 berth
Alvaro Morata said he "got lucky" after he grabbed a good late champion, with Cristiano Ronaldo likewise scoring, as Juventus qualified for the Champions Group last 16 with a good 2-1 victory above Ferencvaros on Tuesday.
Myrto Uzuni had granted the Hungarians a shock 19th-minute business lead in the Group G clash in Turin.
But Ronaldo rifled in the equaliser on 35 minutes for his 1st Champions League target this year, extending his record to 131 goals in your competition.
And Morata came off the bench to seal triumph two minutes into harm time along with his fifth group-stage target this term.
"Today I think I was first lucky on the target, but nobody remembers good luck, everyone remembers the target and that's it again," said the Spaniard.
"It was a complicated video game, that's how it really is in the Champions Group now."
Andrea Pirlo features achieved his first goal as Juventus coach having taken over from Maurizio Sarri following the Italians crashed out of the Champions League within the last 16 to Lyon last season.
"Our goal was to start out the match with a different frame of mind but when you take up these apparently simple game titles you come across difficulties," said Pirlo.
"Our game was also slow. We didn't press hard, after many matches, it is also normal not to possess the same intensity.
"The lads were proficient at reacting and trying to win before end. We received the effect, that's the important things."
Ferencvaros pushed the Italian champions hard because they chased their primary group-stage win since 1995, having lost the home encounter 4-1 in Budapest.
"The result is the only cause to be disappointed," stated coach Serhiy Rebrov.
"The players are feeling down, nonetheless they should be pleased with how they played."
- De Ligt a 'champion' -
Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci were out injured but Pirlo was happy with how Matthijs de Ligt has returned after undergoing shoulder surgery treatment in August.
The Dutch defender enjoyed alongside Danilo at centre-half, with Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado as full-backs, having returned last weekend.
"He's a champion, previously a captain despite being in his early 20s. His is certainly an important comeback," explained Pirlo of the previous Ajax skipper.
Paulo Dybala, wearing the captain's armband, started up front alongside Ronaldo, however the Argentine failed to impress the Juventus instructor.
"Dybala hasn't done perfectly, but he's growing because he comes from a period of inactivity," said Pirlo.
"He has been taking antibiotics for weeks in fact it is common for him to have a little longer. But he has to go beyond his threshold to recuperate."
Ronaldo create the Argentine for the initially shot on goal soon after quarter of one hour, but goalkeeper Denes Dibusz blocked the close-range effort.
And it had been the tourists who broke through four minutes in the future, with Uzuni turning in Tokmac Nguen's deflected cross.
Ronaldo had a goal ruled out for offside on 33 minutes but moments later he made simply no blunder, creating space with a neat switch beyond your area before drilling home a robust left-footed shot that gave Dibusz no chance.
The Portuguese, who missed the first two European games this year with coronavirus, brought his tally to 70 Champions League goals in the home, level with Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
He was denied another before the hour tag, with Federico Bernardeschi also heading close soon after, rattling the woodwork.
Pirlo made a good triple substitution following the hour with Morata, Federico Chiesa and Dejan Kulusevski approaching on host to Dybala, Bernardeschi and Weston McKennie.
Morata had an instantaneous impact, sending the ball through for Ronaldo but Dibusz held firm.
The Spaniard missed a chance 10 minutes from time, hitting the woodwork after meeting Chiesa's cross.
But the former Atletico Madrid striker got his check out a Cuadrado cross, with the ball slipping within Dibusz.
