Juventus down Bayer Leverkusen on back of Gonzalo Higuain heroics

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Gonzalo Higuain scored one goal and assisted on another and Cristiano Ronaldo added the third as Juventus cruised to a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen to go top of Champions League Group D on a rainy night in Turin on Tuesday.

Juventus, who threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 away to Atletico Madrid on opening day, paired Higuain with Ronaldo in attack and it did not take long for the move to pay off.

Goal-poacher Higuain exploited a disastrous attempt at a headed clearance by Jonathan Tah in the 17th minute, taking a touch before thumping the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to leave goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky no chance.

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With Leverkusen enjoying plenty of possession but creating precious little in front of goal, Higuain turned provider in the second half, whipping in a low cross from the left for Federico Bernardeschi to sweep home Juve's second.

Keeper Hradecky nearly conceded a third in the 70th minute, taking a bad touch on a back pass that almost steered the ball into his own goal and then trying to get out of trouble with a risky short pass before the danger was cleared.

Leverkusen's best chance of the night fell to substitute Paulinho, but the 19-year-old Brazilian could not crown his Champions League debut with a goal and his lob went wide.

Portuguese attacker Ronaldo had a frustrating night in attack but after uncharacteristically missing some decent second-half chances, he slotted the ball through Hradecky's legs to make it 3-0 in the 88th minute.

The win puts Juventus top of the group on four points and ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who won 2-0 away to third-placed Lokomotiv Moscow, on goal difference. Leverkusen are bottom after their second straight defeat.