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Juve stun Spurs to join City in UCL quarter-finals

Two quick-fire second half goals have seen Juventus seal a come-from-behind win over Tottenham to join Manchester City in the Champions League final eight.

Juventus came from a goal down to eliminate Tottenham Hotspur from the Champions League while City coasted through to the quarter-finals despite losing to Basel.

Two goals in three minutes from Argentine strike duo Gonzalo Higuain (64th) and Paulo Dybala gave Juventus a 2-1 win (4-3 on aggregate) in London.

Son Heung-min's first-half effort put Tottenham in control after last month's 2-2 draw in the first leg in Turin.

Juventus showed no signs of recovering until Gonzalo Higuain and Dybala struck in three second-half minutes.

Higuain poked in from close range to equalise in the 64th minute before fellow Argentine Dybala, who missed the first leg with an injury, curled past Hugo Lloris after bursting clear.

It was tough on Tottenham who hit the post with a Harry Kane header in the 90th minute.

Pep Guardiola's men lost 2-1 to Basel at Etihad Stadium but coasted through 5-2 on aggregate after their convincing 4-0 win in the first leg.

Despite losing for just the fourth time all season, the runaway Premier League leaders still cruised through 5-2 on aggregate after doing the hard work in Switzerland three weeks ago.

City manager Pep Guardiola could afford the luxury of making six changes from Sunday's dominant 1-0 win over Chelsea, but still saw his side extend their aggregate advantage early on when Gabriel Jesus tapped home after just eight minutes.

However, Mohamed Elyounoussi exposed some slack City defending to smash in an equaliser for the Swiss champions nine minutes later before Michael Lang rocketed home a spectacular winner 19 minutes from time.

City could have the Premier League mathematically wrapped up by the time they are next in Champions League action in early April.

And on this evidence they will need the likes of Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva to be well-rested and in-form if they are to deliver the dream of their Abu Dhabi owners by winning the European Cup for a first time as a number of youngsters and fringe players failed to impress.

Guardiola had the luxury of resting stars for the Basel clash. Pic: Getty
Guardiola had the luxury of resting stars for the Basel clash. Pic: Getty

Leroy Sane was one of few regular starters retained in Guardiola's starting XI and continued his supreme form by creating the opener.

Jesus hadn't started since suffering knee ligament damage on New Years' Eve, but had the simplest of tasks to get back among the goals when Bernardo Silva latched onto Sane's pass to produce a inch-perfect low cross for the Brazilian.

City should have gone even further in front as Silva's shot from a dangerous Sane cut-back was blocked before Basel goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik made a fine block to deny Ilkay Gundogan his third goal of the tie.

However, a minute later Basel were level as Blas Riveros burst down the left and his deflected cross was dispatched powerfully past Claudio Bravo by Elyounoussi.

The Norwegian then had a great chance to put Basel in front on the half hour mark when he miscued horribly wide with just Bravo to beat after outmuscling Danilo.

Guardiola grew visibly frustrated on the touchline as his side also started the second period slowly.

And they were punished when Elyounoussi's low cross was blasted past Bravo at his near post from a narrow angle by Lang.

Substitute Brahim Diaz came closest to a reply but his low driven effort was turned behind by Vaclik to consign City to a first home defeat since December 2016.

With agencies