11 April 2015
A second-half stunner from Jose Mauri consigned Juventus to just their second league defeat of the season, as Parma took the spoils in this evening’s 1-0 triumph at the Ennio Tardini.
It was an uncharacteristically quiet night for a Bianconeri side that struggled to establish any sort of rhythm during the 90 minutes contested against a spirited Gialloblu outfit.
Following a muted first half, Parma brought the game to life with Mauri’s goal on the hour mark, a fine strike into the top corner that left goalkeeper Marco Storari with little chance.
Massimiliano Allegri threw caution to the wind by introducing attack-minded trio Alvaro Morata, Simone Pepe and Mattia Vitale, but it proved too little, too late as the hosts clung on to the points.
In a low key opening to the affair, both sides sized sought to gain the measure of each other but were unable to build up any sufficient head of steam in their attempts to find a breakthrough.
These difficulties were highlighted by the 20-minute wait for a noteworthy goal attempt, with Roberto Pereyra seeing his low curling strike pushed clear by Antonio Mirante.
This moment appeared to spark the game into life, and Ishak Belfodil went close for the hosts, firing wide at the decisive moment after ploughing a lonely furrow into the centre of the area.
The best chance of the first half fell on 32 minutes to Arturo Vidal, whose header was blocked by an alert Mirante at his near post, although Kingsley Coman will also have fancied his chances to have opened the scoring after twisting past Pedro Mendes and drawing a save from Mirante at his near post.
With the second half taking on the same pattern as the opening 45 minutes, it appeared that a genuine moment of quality would be required to break the deadlock, and so it proved.
After edging clear of Giorgio Chiellini down the right-hand side, Belfodil cut the ball back to the edge of the area where Mauri was waiting to sweep the ball into the top corner with a fine first-time strike.
This prompted swift action from Allegri, who introduced Morata and Pepe to the fold as the Bianconeri went with four up front. Their introductions were soon followed by that of Primavera graduate Vitale, making his Serie A debut.
But this added thrust failed to force an equaliser, with the Gialloblu defending stoutly to hold out for a memorable triumph over the league leaders.
