Juventus take firm control

Celtic's last-sixteen Champions League first-leg tie ended in real disappointment as visitors Juventus took a firm hold of proceedings with an emphatic 3-0 victory at Parkhead.

The visitors were in front after only three minutes through in-form striker Alessandro Matri before Claudio Marchisio and Mirko Vucinic added to it during the later stages.

Victor Wanyama and Efe Ambrose offered early hope for the hosts until they were rocked when Matri seized on a forward ball from Federico Peluso and poked beneath the oncoming Fraser Forster and just over the line.

The Hoops tried to respond with Gianluigi Buffon denying both Wanyama and Kris Commons while Marchisio volleyed off-target in reply.

Back came the home side with Charlie Mulgrew, Kelvin Wilson and on three separate occasions Commons the threat, including a spectacular overhead kick, although Mirko Vucinic found the angle too tight at the other end.

Manager Neil Lennon was forced into a change after the interval with Adam Matthews replacing thigh-injury victim Mikael Lustig.

And his side had another opportunity as Ambrose headed Mulgrew's cross directly at Buffon before the visitors struck twice in six minutes to take firm control of the tie overall.

First the attacking threat of Marchisio found the Turin-born midfielder slotting past Forster on 77 minutes before soon setting up enigmatic Montenegrin striker Vucinic for a decisive third.

Celtic: Forster, Lustig (Matthews 58), Ambrose, Wilson, Izaguirre, Brown (Kayal 80), Wanyama, Mulgrew, Forrest, Commons (Watt 73), Hooper

subs (unused): Zaluska, Ledley, Miku, Lassad

Juventus: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Caceres, Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal, Peluso (Padoin 69),
Vucinic (Anelka 85), Matri (Pogba 80)

subs (unused): Storari, Giovinco, Marrone, Quagliarella

Goals: Matri (3), Marchisio (77), Vucinic (83)

Ref: A. Undiano Mallenco

Att: 57,917

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