27 January 2024
Juventus failed to win for the first time in 2024 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Empoli on Matchday 22 of Serie A. Despite being reduced to 10 players on 16 minutes following the sending off of Arkadiusz Milik, the Bianconeri took the lead on 50 minutes.
Dusan Vlahovic scored his 12 goal of the league campaign with a close-range volley from a corner kick.
Empoli equalised 20 minutes later from substitute Tommaso Baldanzi.
The share of the points ended Juve’s run of seven straight wins in all competitions.
THE MATCH
The 16th minute sending-off of Arkadiusz Milik altered a bright start from Juventus, which produced no early goal, as down to 10 men, the home side took a more cagey approach to proceedings.
In the fifth minute Dusan Vlahovic tried to reproduce his form from free-kicks displayed against Sassuolo in the previous home fixture. However, his curling effort was tipped wide by Elia Caprile.
The Empoli goalkeeper was called into action again on 12 minutes following an intrepid run and shot by Andrea Cambiaso.
Then the incident that changed the complexion of the game.
Arek Milik miscontrolled in midfield and in attempting to retrieve possession his studs caught the ankle of Alberto Cerri rather than the ball. After an on-field review, the referee overturned his initial yellow card for a direct red.
Juve would play more than 70 minutes minus one player .
With a man extra Empoli stepped out of their defensive shell and tested Wojciech Szczesny through a couple of efforts from Nicolò Cambiaghi, the second a swerving cross-cum-shot that the Juve number one did well to tip wide.
Just as the first-half stoppage time was almost up the Bianconeri had the best chance of the match. Fabio Miretti read Emmanuel Gyasi’s intentions and intercepted the Empoli midfielder’s pass and charged into the penalty area.
With only Caprile to beat, Miretti fired his shot high over the bar.
However, Juve reproduced the same thrust after the interval and took the lead five minutes into the second half. A corner from the right was not cleared by the visiting defence and without thinking twice Vlahovic smashed the ball into the net from close range.
It was the striker’s sixth goal in 2024.
After going a goal down, Empoli began to make their extra player count. On 63’ Alex Sandro produced an interception to deny Tommaso Baldanzi from sneaking in at the far post.
Seven minutes later the substitute struck the equaliser from a low shot drilled into the far corner from the edge of the penalty box.
Both coaches made a flurry of substitutions in the game’s closing phase but neither defence was breached again as Juventus collected a 17th match without loss in Serie A but failed to collect a sixth staight league win.
JUVENTUS 1-1 EMPOLI (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: 50′ Vlahovic, 69′ Baldanzi
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Gatti, Bremer, Alex Sandro; Cambiaso (76′ Iling Jr), McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti (57′ Weah), Kostic (76′ Yildiz); Vlahovic, Milik. Subs not used: Pinsoglio, Perin, Danilo, Rugani, Nicolussi Caviglia, Nonge Boende. Coach: Allegri.
EMPOLI: Caprile; Ismajli, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Gyasi, Zurkowski (88′ Fazzini), Grassi (55′ Cancellieri), Maleh, Cacace; Cambiaghi (93 Marin), Cerri (55′ Baldanzi). Subs not used: Perisan, Berisha, Goglichidze, Pezzella, Shpendi, Bereszynski, Indragoli.. Coach: Nicola.
Referee: Marinelli
Bookings: 20′ Walukiewicz, 90+3′ Weah
Sending-off: 16′ Milik
