30 April 2023
Juventus stretched their unbeaten run at Bologna to 20 matches with a share of the points in Serie A Matchday 32 after the Bianconeri came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium.
The first half was a tale of two penalties. Bologna converted theirs on 10 minutes, through Riccardo Orsolini. On the half-hour, Arek Milik saw his spot kick saved by Lukasz Skorupski.
Milik made amends, however, with the equaliser on 61 minutes. Juve are return to league action when they host Lecce in the midweek round as the season heads into a nail-biting finale for a top-four finish.
THE MATCH
Both sides fielded 4-3-3 formations set to attack. Juve’s front three of Federico Chiesa, Arkadiusz Milik and Filip Kostić were intent on breaking down the home defence, which was saved twice by Georgios Kyrakopoulos at the edge of his own penalty area.
Bologna’s reply came in the shape of Riccardo Orsolini, who stole the ball from Alex Sandro to be then tripped up by Danilo as he made his way into the penalty box. After consulting with VAR the referee pointed to the penalty spot (due to a malfunctioning pitchside monitor the referee was not able to check the evidence in person). Orsolini took the penalty himself, sending Wojciech Szczęsny the wrong way.
Juve set out to find an equaliser, but one player in particular would ensure Bologna held onto their lead until half-time, Lukasz Skorupski. The home keeper first denied Arek Milik’s volley on 25 minutes. A minute later, the Bianconeri broke into the Bologna box again, this time through Nicolò Fagioli. His first close-range effort was blocked by Skorupski, who parried the shot back into the path of Fagioli, who tried his luck again, but this time the keeper’s foot kept the ball out.
The Bianconeri continued to create chances and were awarded a penalty of their own when Milik was upended at the edge of the area. Again the referee was advised by VAR after he had initially given a free-kick.
Milik stepped up but saw his spot kick saved by Skorupski. The Polish striker would eventually have the better of his international teammate, but only after the interval.
Samuel Iling Jr and Matias Soulé were introduced to the action just short of the hour mark, and the two substitutes made an immediate impact. Iling touched the ball into the area for Chiesa, whose attempted pass was deflected into the path of Milik. This time the striker drilled the ball beyond Skorupski.
Iling again was at the heart of the next attack, which almost led to Juve completing the turnaround. The winger spun inside the area, only to blast his shot over the bar.
Bologna came off the ropes in the closing phases as both sides created chances to clinch all three points. Stefan Posch headed wide from close range after Orsolini attempted a spectacular volley. Soon after, Joshua Zirkzee was thwarted twice in as many minutes by Szczęsny.
However, the last clear-cut chance fell to Juve on 85 minutes. Dušan Vlahović challenged for a cross, obliging Skorpuski to punch the ball down only as far as Soulé, who from the height of the penalty area with the goal gaping, shot over the bar.
The point kept Juventus in third place, but with six teams split by only six points the chase for a top-four finish is hotting up, and the teams return to action in midweek, when Lecce visit the Allianz Stadium.
BOLOGNA 1-1 JUVENTUS (HT: 1-0)
Scorers: 10’ Orsolini (pen), 61’ Milik
BOLOGNA: Skorupski; Posch (86′ De Silvestri), Soumaoro, Lucumì, Kyriakopoulos (66′ Cambiaso); Moro (81′ Medel), Schouten, Dominguez (66′ Zirkzee); Orsolini, Barrow, Ferguson (81′ Aebischer). Subs not used: Bardi, Ravaglia, Bonifazi, Sosa, Lykogiannis, Pyyhtia. Coach: Thiago Motta.
JUVENTUS: Szczesny; Cuadrado, Gatti, Danilo, Alex Sandro; Fagioli (57′ Soulé), Locatelli (83′ Paredes), Rabiot; Chiesa (69′ Miretti), Milik (83′ Vlahovic), Kostic (57′ Iling-Junior). Subs not used: Pinsoglio, Perin, De Sciglio, Bremer, Bonucci, Rugani, Pogba. Coach: Allegri.
Referee: Sozza.
BOOKINGS: 2′ Posch, 41′ Kyriakopoulos, 54′ Rabiot, 87′ Paredes
