Juventus revived as Vidal shoots down København

Arturo Vidal scored a hat-trick as Juventus ended FC København's UEFA Champions League challenge and climbed up to second place in Group B.

The Chile midfielder converted a penalty in each half, the second five minutes after former Juve defender Olof Mellberg had equalised for the visitors, before adding a third with a well-directed header. The Bianconeri, bottom of the section at kick-off, require a point at Galatasaray AŞ on matchday six to secure qualification following this, their first European win of the season.

Paul Pogba had the first effort for Juventus on six minutes but failed to sufficiently angle his low shot from the edge of the box, enabling Johan Wiland to make a comfortable save. La Vecchia Signora continued to push forward, though opportunities to score were limited by København's well-organised defence.

Lacking the necessary creativity to force a breakthrough, the Turin outfit received a helping hand after 29 minutes when Lars Jacobsen blocked a long ball from Andrea Pirlo with an arm as Pogba lurked. Vidal found the net with a powerful shot despite Wiland diving the right way.

The Swedish international then saved a free-kick by Pirlo, while four minutes before the interval Pogba curled a drive just wide from the edge of the area with his right foot. Wiland, København's star performer when the sides drew 1-1 on matchday one, was certainly not as busy during the first half in northern Italy.

Early in the second period, the Lions troubled Juventus with two long throw-ins in succession, the second leading to the equaliser. Two Bianconeri players jumped into each other, leaving Mellberg to volley past Gianluigi Buffon from close range.

Parity, however, was fleeting as Mellberg fouled Fernando Llorente and Vidal stepped up to score his second spot kick of the night. Two minutes later the former Bayer 04 Leverkusen player completed his treble, timing his leap to perfection to meet Pogba's precise delivery from the left and arc the ball under the crossbar.

Content with their lot, Antonio Conte's men played out the final 27 minutes with no cause for alarm. Their future in the competition will now be determined in Istanbul on 10 December, when FCK round off their campaign at home to pool winners Real Madrid CF.