26 August 2017
Juventus made it six points from a possible six after fighting from two goals down to record a stunning 4-2 victory at the Marassi on Saturday evening.
A fast and furious first half saw Genoa race into a 2-0 lead inside seven minutes, but the Bianconeri hit back twice before the break through Paulo Dybala, the Argentine forward continuing his red-hot form with six goals in his last three games.
Shortly after the hour-mark, Juve completed a stunning comeback when Juan Cuadrado bent beautifully into the top corner before Dybala turned hat-trick hero in injury time to ensure that Massimiliano Allegri’s men maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.
This had looked like it would be a very different evening indeed. It took just 20 seconds for Genoa to get their noses in front when Miralem Pjanic turned Goran Pandev’s cross unwittingly into his own net.
And only six minutes later, referee Luca Banti awarded the hosts a penalty after consulting VAR that adjudged Daniele Rugani to have fouled Andrej Galabinov inside the box. Galabinov it was to convert the spot-kick and put the Rossoblù in dreamland.
The Bianconeri desperately needed a lifeline and by the quarter-hour mark they had one, when Dybala drove Pjanic’s centre past Mattia Perin and into the bottom corner.
If Genoa had been in the driving seat up until La Joya’s intervention, it was now the visitors that had the bit between their teeth as they eagerly sought an equaliser: Dybala saw a long-range effort saved by Perin before Gonzalo Higuain dragged wide of the post from a promising position.
With Juve committing men forwards however, the home side were a frequent threat on the counter-attack: Galabinov nodded Darko Lazovic’s cross narrowly off target and the Bulgarian striker would have had another chance to score had Stephan Lichtsteiner not rushed across in time to make a brilliant, last-gasp block.
Down the other end meanwhile, Juve kept knocking on the door only to find a dogged Perin holding firm. The goalkeeper made an impressive double save to prevent Dybala and Mario Mandzukic, but it would not be long before the Bianconeri restored parity.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Cuadrado’s cross found Mandzukic, whose shot was blocked by Lazovic’s arm and, after using VAR once again, Banti awarded a penalty for handball.
Oozing class and confidence in the number 10 jersey, Dybala swept his spot-kick into the top corner – the fitting end to the most frenetic 50 minutes of football, with a whole second period still to play!
The first chance after the interval fell to Juve, as Higuain whipped an effort across the face of goal and it would be Pipita to provide the assist for his team’s third after 62 minutes.
His lofted through pass met Cuadrado, who showed exceptional skill to chest the ball down, turn in on his left boot and curl crisply past Perin.
Now that the visitors had their lead, they showed the requisite level of attention and determination in defence to make sure matters stayed that way. Gianluigi Buffon’s routine save on Raffaele Palladino’s drive was all that Juve’s number one had to do before Dybala secured the match ball with a neat finish into the bottom corner just moments prior to Banti calling time on an exhilarating evening of Serie A action.
It’s always great to enter the international break on a high and Allegri’s men now do just that before regrouping for the next league game at home to Chievo on 10 September at Allianz Stadium.
