Juventus 2–0 Pafos: UCL Match Report & Highlights

On: December 11, 2025 8:09 AM

Juventus 2–0 Pafos: UCL Match Report & Highlights

---Advertisement---

Juventus vs Pafos – Match Summary

Juventus overcame a stubborn Pafos side and a first-half scare to secure a 2–0 victory in Turin. Despite dominating the shot count, the Bianconeri were nearly punished when the visitors hit the woodwork twice in the opening 45 minutes. However, second-half goals from Weston McKennie and Jonathan David ensured Luciano Spalletti’s men claimed all three points, moving them up to 17th in the league phase standings.

Juventus vs Pafos – Final Score

Juventus 2–0 Pafos

(HT: 0–0)

Goals:

67’ — McKennie (JUV)
73’ — David (JUV)

Juventus vs Pafos – Timeline & Events

32’ — 💥 Woodwork! Anderson Silva (Pafos) hits the post with a strike from the edge of the box.
33’ — 💥 Woodwork! Vlad Dragomir (Pafos) rattles the crossbar moments later; a huge let-off for Juventus.
45’ — 🟨 Card: Ivan Šunjić (Pafos) booked for a late tackle.
55’ — 🟨 Card: Manuel Locatelli (Juventus) booked for a harsh challenge.
67’ — ⚽ GOAL! Weston McKennie breaks the deadlock! He curls a beautiful effort into the top corner after being teed up by Andrea Cambiaso. (1–0)
73’ — ⚽ GOAL! Jonathan David doubles the lead with a clinical finish into the bottom corner, assisted by Kenan Yıldız. (2–0)
90+4’ — 🏁 FT: The referee blows the final whistle. Juventus win 2–0.

First Half Analysis

Juventus controlled possession and fired off shots early, but it was Pafos who created the most dangerous moments. The visitors silenced the Allianz Stadium twice in two minutes, hitting the post through Anderson Silva and the crossbar via Vlad Dragomir. Juventus created chances through Edon Zhegrova, but lacked the clinical edge to punish the Cypriot side before the break.

Second Half Analysis

Luciano Spalletti made decisive changes, bringing on Francisco Conceição and later Lois Openda. The pressure finally told in the 67th minute when McKennie struck. Once the first goal went in, Pafos’s resistance broke, and Jonathan David quickly added a second. Juventus ended the match with a massive 2.65 xG and 25 total shots, completely dominating the final 30 minutes.

xG Reality Check: Juventus 2.65 | Pafos 1.19

Key Match Factors

The “Woodwork” Scare: Pafos could have easily been 2–0 up in the first half if luck had been on their side.
Shot Volume: Juventus registered 25 shots (12 on target), overwhelming the Pafos defense in the long run.
Impact Subs: The introduction of Conceição and Openda stretched the game, creating space for the midfielders to crash the box.
Corner Count: Juventus forced 13 corners compared to Pafos’s 4, keeping the pressure constant.

Player of the Match

🏆 Weston McKennie (Juventus)

Broke the deadlock with a stunning curling finish and provided energy in midfield when Juventus needed a spark.

Juventus vs Pafos – Player Ratings

Juventus	Rating	Pafos	Rating
Di Gregorio	7.0	Michail	7.5
Kalulu	7.0	Luckassen	6.0
Kelly	7.0	David Luiz	6.5
Koopmeiners	7.5	Goldar	6.5
McKennie (MOTM)	8.5	Bruno	6.0
Locatelli	6.5	Sunjic	6.0
Miretti	7.0	Pepe	6.5
Cambiaso	8.0	Orsic	6.5
Zhegrova	7.0	Correia	6.0
Yildiz	7.5	Dragomir	7.0
David	8.0	Anderson Silva	6.5

Juventus vs Pafos – Match Stats

Stat	Juventus	Pafos
Expected Goals (xG)	2.65	1.19
Possession	61%	39%
Total Shots	25	5
Shots on Target	12	3
Big Chances	4	1
Corners	13	4
Passes (Accuracy)	505 (89%)	295 (83%)
Fouls	8	9
Yellow Cards	1	1

Top 5 Performers

Weston McKennie (JUV): Scored the crucial opener and dominated the midfield battles.
Jonathan David (JUV): Sealed the win with a goal; constant threat in the box.
Andrea Cambiaso (JUV): Provided the assist for McKennie and was a creative hub on the flank.
Kenan Yıldız (JUV): Assisted the second goal and nearly scored a screamer himself (saved).
Neofytos Michail (PAF): Made several key saves to keep Pafos in the game for over an hour despite the barrage of shots.

Underperformers / Weak Links

Pafos Finishing: They had the chances to shock Juventus (hitting the post and bar) but failed to convert their big moments.
Manuel Locatelli (JUV): Picked up a yellow card and was subbed off after an hour; struggled slightly with the pace of the counter-attacks.

Substitutions Impact

Francisco Conceição (JUV): Came on at halftime (Rating: 6.7) and forced a glorious save immediately.
Lois Openda (JUV): Added pace upfront (Rating: 6.7).
Kostas Pileas (PAF): Came on late for Goldar (Rating: 6.9).

Tactical Breakdown

Juventus:

High Volume Shooting: Adopted a “shoot on sight” policy (25 shots), wearing down the low block.
Wing Overloads: Cambiaso and Zhegrova (later Conceição) constantly attacked the byline to force corners (13 total).

Pafos:

Counter & Set Pieces: Relied on breaking quickly; almost worked with the two woodwork hits.
Defensive Shell: Defended deep in a 5-4-1 shape but eventually cracked under sustained pressure.

What This Result Means

Juventus: Move to 17th place (9 pts) in the standings, boosting their goal difference to +2.
Pafos: Drop to 26th place (6 pts) and remain in the danger zone for qualification.