Morata scores twice as Ronaldo-less Juventus tops Dynamo 2-0

No Cristiano Ronaldo, no problem for Juventus as Álvaro Morata scored twice to help the Bianconeri win 2-0 at Dynamo Kyiv in their opening Champions League match on Tuesday.

Both goals came in the second half.

Ronaldo was out of the match after testing positive for the coronavirus last week. Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie also had the virus.

Juventus' Alvaro Morata scores his side's first goal during the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)

Barcelona was playing later against Ferencváros in the other Group G match.

The coronavirus pandemic meant most of the Champions League matches were being played without fans, or only a limited amount. But there were around 20,000 spectators allowed into the match in Kyiv.

It was new Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo’s first Champions League match in charge.

Juventus players celebrate their side's first goal scored by Juventus' Alvaro Morata during the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)

Pirlo almost saw his side take an early lead but Federico Chiesa’s angled drive was turned away by Heorhiy Bushchan. The Dynamo goalkeeper almost gifted Juventus the lead seconds later as he flapped at a corner which bounced off Giorgio Chillieni’s head and flew inches wide of the post.

Chiellini had to come off shortly after, in the 19th minute, as the Juventus defender appeared to have a thigh strain.

Juventus almost scored a spectacular opener in the 34th when Aaron Ramsey put in a cross from the left but Bushchan pulled off a fantastic save to keep out Dejan Kulusevski’s back-heeled flick.

Juventus' Alvaro Morata. left, challenges for the ball with Dynamo Kyiv's Vitaliy Buyalskyi during the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)

The Bianconeri finally broke the deadlock in the first minute of the second half. Ramsey back-heeled a cross to Kulusevski, whose effort was blocked by Bushchan, but Morata fired in the rebound.

Morata, who rejoined Juventus on loan from Atlético Madrid last month, doubled his tally six minutes from time. The Juventus forward headed in a cross from Juan Cuadrado.

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Juventus' head coach Andrea Pirlo, left, speaks to Dynamo Kyiv's head coach Mircea Lucescu before the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)

Juventus' coach Andrea Pirlo, second right, and Juventus' Sporting Director Fabio Paratici, right, look on during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Crotone and Juventus at the Ezio Scida stadium in Crotone, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020. (Francesco MazzitelloLaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini, center, adjusts the captain's hand band on Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci during the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)

Dynamo Kyiv's goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushchan jumps for the ball with Juventus' Merih Demiral, right, during the Champions League, group G, soccer match between Dynamo Kyiv and Juventus at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium in Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. (Valentyn OgirenkoPool via AP)