Juve avoided a knockout from Lazio, but remained dissatisfied

Last weekend, deep stoppage time favored Lazio, as Cataldi’s penalty in the 100th minute broke Genoa and secured a dramatic win, but tonight the final moments of the match proved fatal for the Biancocelesti and brought salvation to Juventus.

Let’s be clear: before the trip to Turin, Lazio would probably have accepted a point with open arms, while no one at Juventus would have been satisfied with a draw. But when you sum up everything we saw tonight at the Allianz, Juve should be celebrating the final 2–2, while Lazio have plenty of reasons to mourn a missed victory.

On several occasions they could have finished off Juventus, wasted their chances, and in the end the hosts rose from the dead and escaped defeat. If the game had gone on for a few more minutes, they probably would have won it too…

Lazio owner Claudio Lotito watched his team away from home live for the first time in almost a year and nearly witnessed the biggest scalp of the season. Lazio had a 2–0 lead, numerous chances to kill the game, but also a timid mentality that saw them retreat into their goalkeeper’s lap and wait for the final verdict.

It was clear that Spalletti expected a lot from Yildiz and the flanks, as Juventus established control early on through them. Their first big chance came from a set piece, when Bremer forced Provedel into a superb save, and midway through the first half came the most controversial moment of the match.

Cabal went on a run, fell after a duel with Gila, and in the continuation of the move Koopmeiners scored from distance. But instead of a goal for Juve or at least a penalty on Cabal, the referee ruled offside because Thuram was deemed to have influenced the goalkeeper on the Dutchman’s shot. A decision that will be debated for days…

Soon after, Koopmeiners had another dangerous shot and hit the frame of the goal, while Lazio waited… and eventually struck. In first-half stoppage time, Daniel Maldini “robbed” a careless Locatelli in a risky area and launched a counterattack, perfectly setting up veteran Pedro. The Spaniard’s shot took a deflection off Bremer and fooled De Gregorio. A truly frustrating half for Juventus…

The start of the second half was no better. Spalletti brought on Zhegrova for Cabal at the break, moved Cambiaso to the left, and immediately regretted it. Cataldi punished the poor defensive setup with a brilliant pass, Isaksen outran Juve’s full-back, went one-on-one with the keeper, and smashed the ball under the crossbar.

In the 56th minute, Lazio had a match ball to decide everything, but Dele-Bashiru missed a sitter for 3–0 after a run and pass from Tavares. Juventus immediately used that gift to get back into the game. After a siege of the visitors’ goal, Weston McKennie once again showed his fantastic timing and sense of arriving in the box, heading the ball past Provedel.

From that moment on, uncertainty and fear started to creep into Lazio’s ranks. How else to explain another sitter wasted by Kenneth Taylor after a move involving Maldini and substitute Noslin. Sarri’s substitutions already suggested he planned to defend the one-goal lead for half an hour. Juve smelled blood and pushed forward. Locatelli fired a powerful shot just wide, Nuno Tavares made a last-ditch intervention in front of Bremer, Provedel saved a great effort from Yildiz…

When Juve went all in, Lazio got a third chance to seal the win. Once again Tavares did all the work, but Noslin produced a dreadful finish in the 87th minute. The punishment arrived through Kalulu in the 96th minute from a cross by winter signing Boga, who a minute later also set up Openda, but the Belgian missed a headed chance that would have sparked an eruption of joy in the stands.

With this point, Lazio haven’t made a significant step forward, and the draw doesn’t help Juventus much either—especially with a huge derby against Inter coming up in the next round.

SERIE A - MATCHDAY 24

Friday

Verona - Pisa 0-0

Saturday

Genoa - Napoli 2-3 (1-2)

/Malinovskyi 3 pen, Colombo 57 - Hojlund 20, 90+5 pen, McTominay 22/

Fiorentina - Torino 2-2 (0-1)

/Solomon 51, Kean 57 - Casadei 26, Maripan 90+4/

Sunday

Bologna - Parma 0-1 (0-0)

/Ordonez 90+4/

Lecce - Udinese 2-1 (1-1)

/Gandelman 5, Banda 90 - Solet 26(p)/

Sassuolo - Inter 0-5 (0-2)

/Bissek 11, Thuram 28, Martinez 50, Akanji 53, Henrique 88/

Juventus - Lazio 2-2 (0-1)

/McKennie 59, Kalulu 90+6 - Pedro 45+2, Isaksen 47/

Monday

20.30: (1.37) Atalanta (4.80) Cremonese (9.00)

22.45: (1.50) Roma (4.20) Cagliari (8.00)

***odds are subject to change***