Key Takeaways:
- Juventus secured a 2-0 home win over Pafos in the Champions League main phase’s sixth round
- Weston McKennie and Jonathan David scored in the 67th and 71st minutes, respectively
- Juventus climbed to 17th with nine points while Pafos remain on six points in 26th place
Match Analysis
Juventus collected a vital victory against Champions League debutants Pafos, coming through a challenging opening half to secure a 2-0 triumph at home on the sixth matchday of the tournament’s primary stage. Although the Turin side struggled in the first period, being outplayed and fortunate not to fall behind, their improved second-half performance ensured a deserved win, highlighted by quick-fire goals from Weston McKennie and Jonathan David.
FT |⌛️| The three points have been secured 💪🏆#JuvePafos #UCL pic.twitter.com/8CpOaikV34
— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) December 10, 2025
First Half: Pafos Make Bold Start
Pafos started brightly, creating their first real threat as early as the fifth minute when Anderson’s inventive backheel narrowly missed the right post. Just a minute later, Andrea Cambiaso nearly conceded an own goal during a scramble in front of Juventus’ net, but goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio intervened to bail the hosts out.
Juventus began to find footing with Kenan Yildiz forcing Neofytos Michael into a reflex save in the eighth minute. Shortly after, Fabio Miretti’s long-range drive flew off target, and in the tenth minute, Teun Koopmeiners headed dangerously from a corner. Despite these warnings, Pafos continued to impress, with Edon Zhegrova shooting just wide from distance in the twentieth minute.
Pafos maintained attacking pressure, with João Correa lifting a shot over in the twenty-fifth minute and Anderson striking the woodwork on the break in the thirty-second. Vlad Dragomir’s powerful volley a minute later forced another excellent save from Di Gregorio.
The visitors kept threatening, including a David Goldar header from a thirty-eighth-minute corner. Juventus’ best chance prior to half-time arrived in the forty-second minute when Jonathan David was unable to convert from close range after Lloyd Kelly’s assist.
Second Half: Juventus Take Control
After the interval, Juventus raised their tempo and began to dominate proceedings. Teun Koopmeiners forced a difficult save from Michael in the forty-ninth minute before Yildiz missed the rebound. Lloyd Kelly narrowly headed wide in the fifty-seventh minute, and Conceição’s angled shot two minutes later was blocked by Michael.
The breakthrough arrived in the sixty-seventh minute when Andrea Cambiaso surged forward and picked out Weston McKennie, who controlled deftly in the area before firing high into the net. Five minutes later, the match was effectively sealed as Kenan Yildiz released Jonathan David on the break, the Canadian finishing confidently one-on-one for Juventus’ second.
Key Lineups and Tactical Summary
Luciano Spalletti selected Jonathan David as Juventus’ centre-forward, supported on the flanks by Edon Zhegrova and Kenan Yildiz, with Fabio Miretti and Manuel Locatelli forming the midfield pairing. Andrea Cambiaso and Weston McKennie were deployed on the wings. In response, Pafos featured Anderson as their main attacker, supported by João Correa and Vlad Dragomir, with defenders marshalled by the experienced David Luiz.
Decisive Moments and Final Chances
Despite falling behind, Pafos pressed forward in the closing stages. João Correa tested Di Gregorio with a driven attempt in the seventy-ninth minute, though the Juventus goalkeeper remained untroubled. As the match entered stoppage time, Jaja spurned a late opportunity inside the area, sending his effort wide and ending any hope of a Cypriot comeback.
Current Standings Impact
With this result, Juventus have now registered a second consecutive Champions League victory and amassed nine points, moving into seventeenth position in the provisional table. Pafos, meanwhile, remain on six points in twenty-sixth, only a single point adrift of the playoff places as the main phase continues to unfold.
