HAIFA, Israel (AP) — Juventus descended further into crisis and was left on the verge of elimination from the Champions League following a 2-0 loss at Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday that also included an injury to key winger Ángel Di María.
Omer Atzili scored two first-half goals as Haifa earned its first Champions League win in two decades.
Juventus was left third in Group H with two games to play.
Paris Saint-Germain, which was hosting Benfica later, leads the group with seven points, followed by Benfica (also with 7), Juventus (3) and Haifa (3).
It’s the first time Juventus — a two-time European champion — has lost three of its first four group matches.
“Unfortunately, these things happen in soccer,” Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado said. “We’ve got to try to turn the page as soon as possible … We can only emerge from this situation if we’re united.”
Juventus is also struggling in Serie A and lost 2-0 to AC Milan on Saturday, leaving the Bianconeri eighth with just three wins in nine matches.
Still, Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene said before the game in Haifa that the club had “absolute faith” in coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“The coach is doing everything to get us back on track," Cuadrado said at the final whistle. "We are all a team and it’s more the fault of those of us on the field. We must give more, starting from the more experienced players. We need to have faith in ourselves as a team and a family. We have emerged from many difficult situations before and this is an opportunity to do it again.”
An early exit from the Champions League would be particularly painful for Juventus’ finances after the club recently posted a record loss.
Juventus was eliminated by Villarreal in the first knockout round of last season’s Champions League.
It was Haifa's first Champions League win since beating Manchester United 3-0 in 2002.
Atzili put Haifa ahead seven minutes in by using his back to deflect a cross from the center of the area amid a crowd of defenders. His second was a precise shot into the near corner after faking a shot to the other side of the net.
Tjaronn Chery also hit the crossbar in the first-half onslaught from Haifa.
Things then went from bad to worse for Juve when Di María pulled up clutching the back of his right leg — prompting the Argentina international to exit immediately.
Di María provided all three assists when Juventus beat Haifa 3-1 last week.
Juventus was beaten 2-1 both by PSG and Benfica in its opening two games.
Without Haaland, 10 man Man City held by FC Copenhagen
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- The Manchester City juggernaut ground to a halt in the unlikeliest of places on Tuesday.
FC Copenhagen, a team languishing in the bottom half of the Danish league, became the first team to stop City from scoring this season as a Champions League group match overshadowed by early video-review decisions ended in a 0-0 draw.
One of those VAR calls resulted in a red card for City left back Sergio Gomez in the 30th minute for pulling back Hakon Arnar Haraldsson as the last man, harming the visitors attacking ambitions at the atmospheric Parken Stadium.
Earlier, City midfielder Rodri had a brilliant long-range strike disallowed after VAR spotted a handball by Riyad Mahrez in the build-up.
Then, following another review, City was awarded a penalty after a free kick swung into the area struck the outstretched arm of Copenhagen defender Nicolai Boilesen. Mahrez, who has been increasingly reliable from the spot, saw his effort palmed away by Kamil Grabara.
Prolific striker Erling Haaland started the game on the bench _ perhaps in view of the trip to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday _ and didn't come on.
City manager Pep Guardiola said Haaland, who has scored 20 goals in 12 competitive games in his first season with the English champions, wasn't in good enough shape to start after playing against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
``Yesterday was not good, today a little better but not perfect, so we decide not to take the risk,'' Guardiola said of Haaland.
City, which won its first three Group G games, would have secured a place in the last 16 with a win. That could still happen if Borussia Dortmund avoids defeat at home to Sevilla later Tuesday.
It was only the second time City has drawn 0-0 in the group stage of the Champions League.
We started really well with 11, then we had an hour and 10 minutes to hang on,'' Guardiola said.When we had the ball we were clever. It's a good point.''
It was a second point earned in group play by last-place Copenhagen, keeping alive its chances of a third-place finish and dropping into the Europa League playoff round.
It was another tough game against one of the best teams in the world,'' Copenhagen midfielder Marko Stamenic said.I think we can leave the stadium proud of ourselves and our team. We fought to the very last minute.''
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