TURIN, Italy — Juventus booked their spot in the Champions League last 16 with two group games to spare after a double from Argentine striker Paulo Dybala steered them to a 4-2 win over Zenit St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

Knowing they only needed a point against Zenit to be assured of a knockout-stage spot in Group H, Juve raced into a deserved early lead through Dybala, who hammered the ball into the roof of the net in the 11^th minute.

The hosts had several chances to make it 2-0 before Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci put through his own net in the 26^th minute to draw Zenit level.

Dybala benefited from a slice of good fortune to put Juve back in front in the 58^th minute, as he converted a penalty at the second attempt, after the referee had ordered his first effort, that he dragged wide, be retaken.

Goals from Federico Chiesa and Alvaro Morata made sure of the victory late on as Juve made it four wins from four in this season’s competition to top Group H, three points ahead of holders Chelsea in second.

Sardar Azmoun netted a stoppage-time consolation for Zenit, who must win both of their remaining group matches to have any hope of reaching the knockout stages.

“The team had a good game, we were also impressive technically,” coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “Our intensity and courage were important and we did not lose our flow when we conceded the goal.

“It was almost all positive. We passed the ball around, but the last five minutes are where we need to improve. Those minutes are the emblem of who we are — we made three counter attacks and we conceded a goal.”

While things have not gone well in Serie A this season for Juventus — they are ninth in the standings, 16 points behind leaders Napoli — Allegri’s side have had no issues on the continent.

Three wins from three, including a 1-0 success over Chelsea in September, put them on course for the last 16 ahead of Zenit’s visit, and it looked like it was going to be a comfortable progression after Juve made a lightning start.

Dybala and Chiesa were both denied by smart saves from away goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk in the opening exchanges, before Dybala was clinical on his 50^th appearance in the Champions League.

Morata wasted a glorious chance to double Juve’s lead before Zenit grew into the contest and leveled things up, with Bonucci’s attempt to clear a cross looping into his own net.

From that moment on, however, it was all Juve, with Dybala and Chiesa a constant menace.

Chiesa’s trickery won Juve a penalty to give his side the opportunity to retake the lead, which Dybala seemingly wasted.

The referee, however, insisted Zenit players had encroached in the penalty area, giving Dybala another chance, which he did not pass up.

The relentless Chiesa got the goal his performance deserved as he darted into the penalty area before drilling into the bottom corner and Morata finished well under pressure to put Juve out of sight.

Juve have now won each of the opening four group stage games of a Champions League campaign for the third time, having also done so in 1995-96, when they went on to win the competition, and 2004-05. — Reuters

MUNICH, Germany — Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski scored a hat trick, set up another goal and missed a penalty on his 100^th Champions League appearance as they crushed Benfica (5-2) on Tuesday to cruise into the knockout stage with two Group E matches to spare.

The 2020 world player of the year headed home his first goal in the 26^th minute and chipped in another just past the hour after also setting up Serge Gnabry for a sensational backheel flick in the 32^nd.

He did miss a penalty in first half stoppage time but sealed his treble in the 85^th minute. It was his 81^st goal in Europe’s elite club competition.

“I do not know if it was the perfect game because I did miss a penalty,” Lewandowski said. “But better to miss early than late in the game. Luckily, we scored several more goals and got the three points.”

“I did not get the ball often in the first 20 minutes, but you have to stay patent as a striker. To be honest, I never thought I would ever play so many games in the Champions League and score so many goals.”

Benfica cut the deficit before the break with Morato’s 38^th minute header, the first goal conceded by Bayern in their four Champions League matches, but a superb Leroy Sane shot early in the second half killed off hopes of a comeback.

The visitors scored again in the 75^th through Darwin Nunez.

Bayern is top on 12 points following their fourth win in the group and record-equaling 17 goals, with Benfica on four. Barcelona moved into second place on six after winning 1-0 at Dynamo Kyiv, in last with one point. The top two advance to the knockout stage.

With Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann back on the bench after a two-week absence due to a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, it was the Portuguese who had a better start when they put the ball in the net but the effort was ruled offside.

Lewandowski punished them not long after, heading in a Kingsley Coman cross at the far post to open his account.

Before Benfica had time to recover, Bayern, who a week ago suffered their heaviest German Cup defeat ever with a 5-0 loss to Borussia Moenchengladbach, struck again as Lewandowski set up Gnabry whose backheel left keeper Odisseas Vlachodimos frozen.

The visitors pulled a goal back when Brazilian Morato rose to head home seven minutes before the break and they grew more hopeful when Lewandowski’s tame penalty was saved by Vlachodimos in stoppage time before the interval.

But the hosts moved into turbo drive after half time with Sane thundering in a half-volley to make it 3-1 before setting up Lewandowski for a delightful chip over the keeper in the 61^st.

The hosts were caught napping with Darwin Nunez pulling a goal back with 15 minutes left. But Lewandowski was not yet done, bagging his fourth Champions League hat trick in the 85^th to book Bayern’s spot in the last 16. — Reuters