17 October 2021
Juventus continued their upward trajectory with three hard-fought points against Roma, the 1-0 win at home in the Allianz Stadium setting a unique record against their Roman rivals.
It was a match of the highest order. Entering the encounter on the back of three straight Serie A victories, the Bianconeri were looking to continue their decent run of form and build on the momentum created before the two-week international break.
Roma would have the first foray on goal of the match, Gianluca Mancini’s header warming the hands of Wojciech Szczesny early on, before the Pole watched Lorenzo Pellegrini’s deflected shot whistle over his crossbar.
After biding their time, Juventus would light up the Allianz a quarter of an hour in as Rodrigo Bentancur met Mattia De Sciglio’s curling ball from the left flank, the ball deflecting off Moise Kean to put the Bianconeri a goal to the good.
The early opener allowed the home side to settle into their stride, controlling the pace of the game and keeping their shape as their opponents looked for a way through, but with no reward, Tammy Abraham’s looping header plucked out of the air by an alert Szczesny as the first half wound down.
With five minutes to go in the half, the referee awarded a penalty to the visitors, and after a long VAR check, Jordan Veretout stepped up, only to be denied by a superb Szczesny save to his left, the Bianconeri celebrating with their fans as parity was prevented.
The second stanza began with a flurry as an acrobatic Federico Bernardeschi overhead kick was parried by Rui Patricio, Kean blasting the follow-up over the target as the hosts almost doubled their lead.
De Sciglio was next to send out a warning shot, superbly controlling the ball with his chest before firing from an acute angle into the side-netting, following which Bernardeschi lined up a shot from range, firing narrowly wide as the hosts continued to show attacking intent.
Roma burst into life midway through the second half, Veretout’s curling effort whistling past the post as the capital club upped the intensity in search of a leveller, Matias Vina then slipping his way through the Bianconeri backline before watching his deflected effort blaze wide.
Fresh legs were brought on by coach Massimiliano Allegri, Arthur receiving a warm applause by the Juventus supporters as he ran on for his first minutes of the season, the Brazilian adding steel to the Bianconeri midfield for the closing stages of the game.
The Giallorossi continued to search for a way through, but found no way past Leonardo Bonucci who put his body on the line, deflecting Bryan Cristante’s pile-driver out for a corner.
Challenges were flying in as the clock ticked towards the game’s completion, yet the Bianconeri resistance withstood the Roman onslaught to ensure the scoreboard remained 1-0 in their favour at full-time, maximum points ensuring the steady climb up the standings continued.
The result also set a unique record as Roma became the first side Juventus have managed to beat on ten occasions in the league since the opening of the Allianz Stadium in 2011, adding to the team’s impressive run against the Giallorossi in Turin.
JUVENTUS 1–0 ROMA (HT 1-0)
SCORER: Kean 16’
JUVENTUS
Line-up: Szczesny, De Sciglio (Alex Sandro 88’), Chiellini, Danilo, Bonucci, Cuadrado, Bernardeschi (Arthur 75’), Locatelli, Bentancur, Kean (Morata 71’), Chiesa (Kulusevski 71’).
Unused substitutes: Perin, Pinsoglio, Pellegrini, Rugani, Arthur, Ramsey, McKennie, Kaio Jorge.
ROMA
Line-up: Rui Patricio, Karsdorp, Mancini, Ibanez, Vina, Cristante, Veretout (Shomurodov 81’), Zaniolo (El Shaarawy 26’), Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan, Abraham.
Unused substitutes: Fuzato, Boer, Villar, Reynolds, Calafiori, Kumbulla, Diawara, Darboe, Perez, Borja Mayoral.
