Yahoo Sports Juve forced to settle for point against Fiorentina
Two points dropped.
There is no other way to sum up a match during which Juve played well for long periods, before the Bianconeri were pegged back by Fiorentina at the death to make it 2-2.
A GOOD START
Juve began the match on the front foot: the Bianconeri were on top during the opening exchanges, maintaining the initiative and forcing Fiorentina firmly into their own half. In the fifth minute, the Bianconeri came close to an early goal: Francisco Conceicao delivered a cross from the right, Dusan Vlahovic lost his marker but was unable to find the back of the net with his header from an excellent position.
Juve were playing well at the Allianz Stadium: the game was being played a high tempo, and Fiorentina did not shy away from counter-attacks, but the Bianconeri, who controlled possession well, were also switched on defensively, both in terms of marking and when it came to snuffing out Viola counter-attacks.
THE OPENER ARRIVES
In the 20th minute, the Bianconeri scored a well-deserved goal: Khephren Thuram drove forward unopposed and, once in the box, he drilled the ball past David De Gea at the front post. One-nil.
Juve continued to dictate the tempo of the game, preventing Fiorentina from gaining a foothold in the match: the Viola were unable to cause problems on the counter-attack and were forced to ride the storm: whilst Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil both had unsuccessful efforts from set-pieces.
In the 37th minute Juve made it clear they were still a threat as Teun Koopmeiners caused problems for the Fiorentina defence.
KEAN EQUALISES AND DE GEA MAKES A MIRACULOUS SAVE
Somewhat surprisingly, however, it was the Viola that struck back, with a former Bianconeri the goal scorer: Kean headed home a cross from the left, choosing not to celebrate and instead receiving a sporting applause from a fanbase that had been his up until just a few months ago.
In the 41st minute, De Gea's unbelievable save prevented Vlahovic's shot, which had looked destined to give Juve the advantage. It was a powerful, precise, close-range effort, which was denied by a masterful intervention from the Viola keeper.
Juve threatened again in the 45th minute through Manuel Locatelli, who came close to scoring a wonder goal with a volley from the edge of the box that went just wide.
THURAM AGAIN
It was one-one at the interval after a half from which, all things considered, Juve deserved more.
Ready to go in the second half, and it was Juve on top again.
Thuram was once again the hero for the Bianconeri.
In the 48th minute he fired home following a clever pass from Koopmeiners to score a super goal.
Fiorentina's reaction again came from Kean: in the 60th minute he got in behind and tried to find the equaliser, but Michele Di Gregorio was on hand to prevent him from grabbing his second of the game.
JUVE DON’T PUT THE GAME TO BED AND FIORENTINA EQUALISE
However, although many would have expected a Fiorentina onslaught in search of an equaliser, the reality was anything but: the newly introduced Kenan Yildiz threatened in the 74th minute, and a minute later Federico Gatti went very close to extending the lead when he headed a corner from the left, with De Gea able to save the effort.
Juve pushed forward again in the 82nd minute, with substitute Nico Gonzalez pressing high, but his deflected effort from the left wing went wide.
The heartbreaking moment came four minutes from the end, with Sottil finishing off a fortunate Fiorentina attack as he struck a powerful volley beyond Di Gregorio who could do nothing about it.
The attempts of Conceicao (again De Gea's foot came to the rescue) and Nico Gonzalez (over the bar) in the dying minutes were of little use: another draw for Juve, which really stings this time.
JUVENTUS 2-2 FIORENTINA
Allianz Stadium, Sunday 29 December, 2024 at 18:00 (CET)
Serie A – Matchday Seventeen
Goals: 20’ Thuram (J), 39’ Kean (F), 48’ Thuram (J), 87’ Sottil (F)
Juventus: Di Gregorio, Savona, Gatti (89’ Fagioli), Kalulu, McKennie (62’ Cambiaso), Locatelli, Thuram (89 Douglas Luiz), Conceicao, Koopmeiners, Mbangula (63’ Yildiz), Vlahovic (82’ Nico Gonzalez).
Unused Substitutes: Perin, Danilo, Adzic, Pinsoglio.
Coach: Thiago Motta.
Fiorentina: De Gea, Dodo, Comuzzo, Ranieri, Parisi (75’ Gosens), Cataldi (65’ Mandragora), Adli (75’ Richardson), Colpani (75’ Ikone), Gudmundsson (59’ Beltran), Sottil, Kean.
Unused Substitutes: Terracciano, Pongracic Moreno, Quarta, Martinelli, Kayode, Kouame.
Coach: Raffaele Palladino.
Referee: Maurizio Mariani
Assistants: Alessio Berti, Andrea Zingarelli
Fourth Official: Ermanno Feliciani
Bookings: 59’ McKennie (J), 69’ Kalulu (J), 77’ Locatelli (J), 85’ Comuzzo (F)
Next Match:
Juventus-AC Milan
Supercoppa Italia – Semi-Final
Friday 3 January, 2025 at 20:00 (CET)
Al-Awwal Park (Saudi Arabia)
