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Sports News of Sunday, 4 June 2017

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Kwadwo Asamoah's Juventus crushed 4-1 by Madrid in Champions League final

Kwadwo Asamoah missed out on another Champions League trophy after his Juventus side Kwadwo Asamoah missed out on another Champions League trophy after his Juventus side

Kwadwo Asamoah missed out on another Champions League trophy after his Juventus side got clobbered 4-1 by Real Madrid on Saturday in Cardiff.

The victory also made Real the first team to successfully defend the trophy since Milan won the European Cup in 1989 and 1990.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the first and the crucial third goal, while Juventus had Juan Cuadrado sent off.

Zinedine Zidane’s side clinched La Liga on the final Sunday, meaning they have now won the domestic league and European Cup double for the first time since 1961.

Ronaldo gave Real a 20th-minute lead, playing a one-two give-and-go with Dani Carvajal on the edge of the Juventus penalty area, before unleashing a shot that curled away from Gianluigi Buffon and into the keeper’s bottom-right corner.

There was a slight deflection off an outstretched boot from Leonardo Bonucci, but the shot would almost certainly have gone in regardless.

While Ronaldo’s goal was a fine one, Juventus’s equaliser seven minutes later was a contender for the best goal ever in a European Cup final.

Alex Sandro’s cross was headed by Gonzalo Higuaín to Mario Mandzukic, who controlled the ball on his chest then hooked it over his head from 15 yards, into Keylor Navas’s top left corner.

Juventus had the better of the first half but Madrid took control after the interval. There was another stroke of fortune for the goal that put them ahead again just after the hour, Casemiro’s long-range effort flicking off Sami Khedira’s heel.

There was nothing lucky about the third, Ronaldo making a superb run to the near post to bury Luka Modric’s right-wing cross from close range soon afterwards.

Gareth Bale had not been fit enough to start for Madrid but did get to come on in his home city.

After Cuadrado’s red card for two quick bookings after coming on as a substitute, Marco Asensio fired home from 12 yards in the 90th minute, getting on the end of a pull-back from Marcelo to complete the scoring.

Defeat means Juventus have extended their unwanted record of most losses in European Cup finals from five to six.