TURIN, Italy (AFP) - Juventus laboured to an unspectacular 1-0 win over 10-man Group A minnows Maccabi Haifa in the Champions League here on Wednesday.

Centre-back Giorgio Chiellini scored the only goal of a disappointing game played in front of a pitifully small crowd of less than 19,000 and in gloomy, rainy conditions.

The win did at least propel the Italian giants into second position in a tough group also containing Bayern Munich and Bordeaux as they now have five points from three games.

Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara took a gamble before the game began by changing his formation and playing bit-part Frenchman David Trezeguet as a lone forward with three midfielders behind him.

The idea was to leave Diego free to roam in the centre and hence cause more problems, but that hardly happened in an insipid first half.

Maccabi should have gone in front on two minutes when a cross from Eyal Meshumar found Georgia striker Vladimir Dvalishvili unmarked eight yards out but although his header was well placed, Gianluigi Buffon made a brilliant one-handed save.

Chances were few and far between with Maccabi goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch beating away a Fabio Grosso free-kick on 9min.

Trezeguet should have done better when Grosso's cross found him seven yards out but the former France forward poked the ball well wide of the far post after Maccabi's defence had gone wandering on 20 minutes.

Lior Rafaelov lashed a wild shot over the bar for Haifa and Momo Sissoko headed a Mauro Camoranesi free-kick wide while Diego ended the half by sending a direct free-kick wide before the referee mercifully brought a drab period to a close.

The game needed a goal and it got one two minutes after the restart as Diego's curling free-kick from the left was headed home by Giorgio Chiellini -- although questions will be asked of a Haifa defence and goalkeeper that allowed him a free header from two yards.

Shortly after Diego almost added a second but his delectable chip just cleared the bar with Davidovitch beaten.

Juve started to really boss the game and Davidovitch blocked Trezeguet's close range shot on the slide from an inviting Grosso cross before he dived full length to stop Sebastian Giovinco's fierce effort.

Any chance Maccabi had of salvaging something ended in the 69th minute with a very questionable decision by the referee who gave Tiago Dutra a straight red card for a 50-50 challenge with Chiellini.

Even so Dvalishvili stung Buffon's hands with a late effort that had Juve's fans holding their breath before Camoranesi hit the post for Juve.

There was still time for Buffon to make another fine save from Mohammad Ghadir deep into time added on.