JUVENTUS STAGE MIRACLE COMEBACK TO HOLD DORTMUND IN EIGHT-GOAL CLASSIC

By Olopade Sakiru 

On a night of high drama at the Allianz Stadium, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund produced an unforgettable 4-4 draw in the UEFA Champions League group stage opener, with Dušan Vlahović inspiring a sensational late fightback that left fans breathless.

The first half was a tense tactical affair with few clear-cut chances. Dortmund pressed aggressively while Juventus sat deeper, waiting for counter-attacking opportunities. Yet neither side could find the breakthrough before the interval.

The game, however, exploded into life after the restart. Karim Adeyemi fired Dortmund ahead in the 52nd minute with a crisp strike from outside the box. Juventus replied through Kenan Yıldız in the 63rd minute, the youngster curling a superb effort into the top corner to ignite the home crowd.

The celebrations had barely settled when Felix Nmecha restored Dortmund’s lead just two minutes later, finishing neatly from distance. Juventus hit back almost immediately as substitute Dušan Vlahović announced his arrival with a sharp finish to make it 2-2.

Dortmund looked set to run away with the contest after Yan Couto struck in the 74th minute, followed by a calmly converted penalty by Ramy Bensebaini in the 86th after Lloyd Kelly was penalised for handball. With the score at 4-2 and the clock ticking down, many thought the contest was over.

But Juventus had other ideas. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Vlahović powered home his second goal to give the Bianconeri hope. Just two minutes later, the stadium erupted as Lloyd Kelly rose highest to head in Vlahović’s cross, making it 4-4 after a lengthy VAR review confirmed the goal.

The final whistle was met with disbelief and jubilation from the Turin faithful, who had witnessed one of the most extraordinary comebacks in recent Champions League memory.

The draw leaves both teams sharing points in their group, though Dortmund will feel they let victory slip through their fingers. Juventus, meanwhile, will take encouragement from their resilience but face questions over defensive frailties after conceding four at home.