Despite finding the net twice, Juventus came out losers in the Serie A Matchday 31 fixture against Napoli. Ángel Di María and Dušan Vlahović had goals disallowed inside the final 10 minutes of a tight contest with the league leaders, who then claimed victory in stoppage time through Giacomo Raspadori.
THE MATCH
Juventus did not hold back, not allowing Napoli to settle in possession in the opening minutes.
On 10’ the first shot. A rasping effort from Juan Cuadrado, which Alex Meret was happy just to parry, allowing his defence to mop up the loose ball.
Six minutes later, Filip Kostić made progress down the left flank. His cross reached Arek Milik, whose header brought another save from Meret.
As the game progressed, Napoli were seeing more of the ball but the aggressive pressing game by Juve was keeping Wojciech Szczęsny a virtual bystander. On 26’ Adrien Rabiot muscled his way onto a through ball after Matias Soulé and Cuadrado had linked up to good effect. Rabiot’s cross was too powerful for the onrushing Milik as it sped across the face of the Napoli goal.
At the other end, only once did Napoli see some daylight between them and the Juve goal. Hirving Lozano sped away on the counter attack but a timely recovery tackle by Danilo blocked the winger’s shot. Federico Gatti was on hand to complete the clearance.
Napoli’s possession continued to grow but at half time the visitors had failed to hit a shot on target.
Five minutes after the restart the first save from Szczęsny after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cut in from the left.
Half way through the second half the goal threat posed by Victor Osimhen came to the fore. The Serie A top scorer had three attempts in the space of a few minutes. First the striker’s shot was deflected out for a corner. From the set piece he won a header, which was placed straight at Szczęsny, who then watched Osimhen’s half-volley fly over the crossbar from close range.
The reaction from Juventus came in the shape of Daniele Rugani with an attempted scissors kick, quickly followed up by a Milik slap shot that went wide.
Heading into the closing 10 minutes, the game opened up and Juve thought they had scored the opener. A lightning counter attack was finished off by Ángel Di María. However, a tackle by Milik before El Fideo was sent in on goal was adjudged to have been a foul after the VAR review.
Two minutes later the Bianconeri had the ball in the net again. Federico Chiesa sprinted to the deadball line. His cut back was finished off by Dušan Vlahović. This time the goal was disallowed because the ball had crossed the line before Chiesa’s delivery.
Inside stoppage time it seemed as if Szczęsny had ensured Juve a point when he denied Osimhen with the striker galloping in on goal. However, there was still time for Giacomo Raspadori to fire a volley into the net.
Juve threw everything forward in a last ditch attempt to salvage a point but it was to be the visitors’ night.
JUVENTUS 0-1 NAPOLI (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: 90+3’ Raspadori
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Cuadrado, Gatti, Rugani, Danilo; Soulé (65′ Fagioli), Rabiot, Locatelli, Kostic (60′ Chiesa); Miretti (60′ Di Maria); Milik (89′ Vlahovic). Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, De Sciglio, Bremer, Alex Sandro, Bonucci, Pogba, Paredes, Iling-Junior. Coach: Allegri.
NAPOLI: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Kim, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka (90’+5′ Rrahmani), Ndombele (68′ Zielinski); Lozano (68′ Elmas), Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia (86′ Raspadori). Subs not used: Marfella, Gollini, Demme, Bereszynski, Zerbin, Zedadka, Ostigard, Gaetano. Coach: Spalletti.
Referee: Fabbri
BOOKINGS: 23′ Locatelli, 39′ Rabiot, 85′ Fagioli, 89′ Di Maria, 90’+7′ Anguissa