ISTANBUL: Dutch midfielder Noa Lang scored a brace as Galatasaray thumped Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Istanbul on Tuesday in the first leg of a Champions League playoff.
For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
In a nerve-shredding atmosphere, Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus actually led 2-1 at half-time after Teun Koopmeiners replied to Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara’s opener with a brace of his own.
But Colombian full-back Juan Cabal was dismissed for two bookings in a calamitous second half as Lang’s brace and goals from Davinson Sanchez and Sacha Boey sunk the Old Lady, who faced a miserable return to Turin.
“We took several steps backwards,” moaned Spalletti, whose team had been rejuvenated since he took over in late October with Juve seventh in Serie A and languishing outside the play-off spots in the Champions League after failing to win any of their first three matches.
