winph Juventus 2-1 PSV, Champions League: Motta Hails Bench Strength After Late Mbangula Winner

Thiago Motta embraces with Juventus match-winner Samuel Mbangula Thiago Motta embraces with Juventus match-winner Samuel Mbangula

Thiago Motta showered praise on Juventus' strength from the bench following substitute Samuel Mbangula's late winner against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League. (More Football News)winph

Weston McKennie's opener was cancelled out by Ivan Perisic's 56th-minute leveller, with Motta's side looking set for a 17th draw of the season across all competitions. 

However, with eight minutes remaining, Mbangula, on for Kenan Yildiz at half-time, poked home the winner after Walter Benitez spilled Francisco Conceicao's cross. 

Indeed, Mbangula became the youngest player to score for Juventus in a knockout round of the UEFA Champions League / European Cup (21 years and 26 days old). 

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Juventus also became the first team to win two home games against the same team in a single season in the Champions League since Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain in 2014-15, and the first Italian side to do so in the competition.

Their winner on Tuesday followed another dramatic ending in Serie A last week, with Randal Kolo Muani's late penalty earning Juventus a 2-1 win at Como. 

"We are a young team that has to inject a lot of pace into the game in order to cause problems for teams," Motta told a press conference. 

"Once again today, the players who came off the bench raised the level of the team," Motta told a press conference.

"I am very happy with Mbangula. He presses, he dribbles, he scores goals. He always has a fantastic attitude, he always gives everything."

On Tuesday, deep inside Chinese Mongolia, the Harmanpreet Singh-led Men in Blue did just about enough to beat a spirited Chinese side. The occasion: the final of the Asian Champions Trophy 2024.

India, the most successful team in the competition, now have five titles, including back-to-back triumphs in 2023 and 2024. The victory adds to their bronze medal secured at the Paris Olympic Games last month.

3 - For the first time #Juventus have won three matches in a row in all competitions under Thiago Motta. Journey.#JuventusPSV #UCL pic.twitter.com/FEt3yABe0s

— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 11, 2025

Motta also took the time to commend midfielder McKennie for his display against the Eredivisie side. 

Mckennie scored his third goal of the season in the Champions League and his seventh overall. Only AC Milan's Christian Pulisic has scored more in the competition overall (12) and in a single campaign (four in 2024-25) among American players.

All three of the midfielder's Champions League goals for Juventus this season have come at home. The last Bianconeri player with more home goals in a single campaign was Cristiano Ronaldo (five) in 2018-19.

"McKennie is a great player and an important figure in the group, he is a top player and that's why he plays everywhere and often," Motta said.

"It was an even game against a team that wants to play good football and does it well.

"This victory is only the first step. In the second leg we have to put in a great performance to progress to the Round of 16."

Juventus face PSV at the Philips Stadion next Wednesday in the second leg, but beforehandwinph, have a huge Serie A clash this weekend against Scudetto hopefuls Inter.