Away from home Juventus had a commanding victory over Spezia. The Bianconeri won by 2-0 after a long streak of narrow 1-0 wins.
Max Allegri decided to rotate his Juventus team between two Thursday European games, and an unexpected front line of Vlahovic and Kean spearheaded the opposition’s offence. While Bremer was suspended, Federico Chiesa, Arkadiusz Milik, Fabio Miretti, and Paul Pogba were also sidelined due to injuries. Defender Rugani took over for the former, and starting goalkeeper Szczesny is replaced by Perin. Di Maria had also been moved to the bench.
Even though Spezia’s leading scorer Nzola was available, interim coach Lorieri opted for continuity up front and once again started Verde and Shomurodov together. The hosts had Ampadu and Caldara back from suspensions despite the absence of suspended midfielder Salvatore Esposito; however, the latter was relegated to the bench. Jacopo Sala, Szymon Zurkowski, and Simone Bastoni were among those who were still unable to play due to injury.
On the fifth minute, Juventus attempted a deep counterattack, but Kean’s heavy touch inside the centre circle allowed the ball to escape. So far, neither side had been able to establish a rhythm.
Ekdal was put under pressure by a Paredes inswinging corner to the back post, but the seasoned midfielder barely managed to glance the ball away to a position of relative safety.
Agudelo’s bold attempt from the right corner of the box was stopped, and Verde then fired a low shot directly at Perin from just inside the box.
Rugani scrambled away Reca’s errant low ball from the left side of the box as Spezia continued to press for an early goal against Juventus.
Juventus captain Danilo soared highest to meet a Paredes corner, but his glancing header just lacked the needed precision, narrowly missing the right post by a matter of inches.
Rabiot and Kostic combined on the left, and Gyasi stepped in at the ideal moment. Shomurodov was then stopped at the other end by a perfectly timed Rugani tackle.
When Kostic escaped down the left touchline and crossed a dangerous ball into the box for Kean to score, he caught the Spezia defence off guard.
Aware Kean takes advantage of Ampadu’s unbalanced defending in the 32nd minute to sweep the ball low past Marchetti. Marchetti’s first significant action after coming off the bench is to pick the ball out of the net. Juventus took the important 1-0 lead.
Shomurodov nods a ball into the six-yard box after Verde delivered it up to the back post; Gyasi was unable to make proper final contact with the ball, and the Juventus goalkeeper saved it.
In the second half, Spezia were awarded two left-handed corners. Bourabia took both of them and played them back to Verde’s deft left foot. Gyasi met the latter’s flip-over cross that was aimed at the penalty spot, but the Spezia captain couldn’t put Perin to the test with a weak header.
A well-placed shot by Shomurodov was stopped at close range, and Verde then set himself up with some careful positioning on the edge of the box before launching a volley directly at Perin.
Reca continued to cause chaos down the left for Spezia, and before Juventus was able to clear their lines, a low cross skidded across the field and put them in trouble. Rabiot quickly deflected a pop attempt by Ekdal from 25 yards behind for another corner.
Nzola was supposed to receive a cross from Reca at the back post, but it fell to Verde instead, who fired a shot from the right side of the box straight at his own teammate.
Finally, Juventus was able to ease some of the pressure as De Sciglio won a corner on the right. The head of Alex Sandro then flicked Di Maria’s delivery well over as he raced to the near post to meet it.
At 66th minute Di Maria’s classy touch earned the visitors an undeserved second as he received a pass from Danilo, assessed the bottom corner, and then slid the ball past Marchetti. Such a cool conclusion, and it appears that Spezia’s efforts were in vain.
Fagioli was located 20 yards from goal by Kostic cutting inside from the left, but the youngster’s shot lacked the power and only managed to go straight at Marchetti in the middle of Spezia’s goal.
As Amian drove across the byline and crossed the ball for Gyasi, Spezia sliced Juve open down the right. The latter quickly turned it in the direction of the bottom-right corner, but Juve’s stand-in goalkeeper made a superb reaction save.
Nikolaou’s head connected with a Maldini corner from the right in the six-yard box, but Perin again made a diving save with the ball appearing to be headed for the bottom-left corner.
FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE ON TWITTER
READ MORE;
Salernitana 0-2 Lazio: Biancocelesti wins the battle with Immobile brace
Fiorentina 1-1 Empoli: Cabral salvages a point for La Viola in a tough battle
Sampdoria 1-2 Bologna: Orsolini wins the battle with a banger