Juventus kicked off their Women's Champions League league phase campaign with a painful 2-1 home defeat to Benfica on Tuesday night, as Marit Bratberg Lund's brace condemned the Italian side to a first-round loss.
Lund opened the scoring from the penalty spot after the Portuguese side carved open the Juventus defence in the first half. The Norwegian midfielder then doubled the visitors' advantage with a curling free kick from distance that left the goalkeeper stranded, capping an outstanding individual display.
The result was a significant moment for Benfica, who had failed to win a single match in their previous European campaign. The three points in Turin represent their first victory in the Women's Champions League in two seasons.
Juventus, who have made a solid start to their Serie A season, struggled to find rhythm in the final third for much of the contest. Alba Redondo pulled a goal back in the 86th minute to set up a tense finish, but the hosts could not find an equaliser despite late pressure.
The defeat leaves Juventus with ground to make up in a demanding group, while Benfica can take considerable confidence from a disciplined and clinical away performance against one of the section's stronger sides.
Sources
- https://www.juventus.com/en/news/articles/juventus-women-benfica-the-european-journey-begins-again
- https://femgol.com/en/womens-champions-league/article/juventus-benfica-report-womens-champions-league-j1-2026-27/
- https://www.espn.com.sg/soccer/story/_/id/50008567/man-city-draws-bayern-arsenal-wins-late-uwcl-returns
