04 October 2022
With Gonzalo Higuain announcing his impending retirement, we look back at El Pipita’s Top 5 moments in Bianconero:
Juve 2-1 Fiorentina 2016/17
Coming off the bench to make his hotly anticipated Juventus debut in the second half, the visitor’s equalised with 20 minutes to go through Nikola Kalinic, and thus the script was written for Gonzalo Higuain to score the match winner, and that’s precisely what happened! Nine minutes after making his introduction, a shot in the box by the game’s first goalscorer, Sami Khedira deflected into Pipita’s path and with one of his first touches of the match, he expertly dinked the ball under goalkeeper, Ciprian Tatarusanu and into the back of the net to score a dramatic debut winning goal!
Juve 1-0 Roma 2016/17
A Christmas cracker of a goal in this festive fixture between Juventus and Roma, that saw Higuain hold off Daniele De Rossi with strength, burst into the Roma box, slalom Kostas Manolas and let fire an absolute rocket on his “weaker” left foot to give us an important win over our Scudetto challengers – all the more so given the eventual four-point gap come the end of the season against Roma.
Napoli 0-1 Juve 2017/18
Returning to his old stomping ground for only the third time in Bianconeri colours and in the midst of a very tight Scudetto race against the Partenopei, the attention naturally focused on Gonzalo Higuain and El Pipita delivered with aplomb after just 13 minutes. Paulo Dybala’s excellent through-ball found Higuain in space, and the number 9 finished past the onrushing Pepe Reina to put the Bianconeri in front with what would turn out to be the game’s winner and a vital blow, as Juve would once again eventually finish the campaign four points above their nearest rivals, this time Napoli.
Inter 2-3 Juve 2017/18
A topsy-turvy Derby d’Italia at San Siro that saw us take the lead with a Douglas Costa volley and carry it until half-time, before being pegged back by Inter in the second as Mauro Icardi and an Andrea Bazargli own-goal made it 2-1. However, in true Fino Alla Fine fashion Juve rallied and the hosts also scored an own-goal in the 87th minute by Martin Skriniar to tie it up at 2-2. Then, two minutes later, a Dybala free-kick was swung deep into the box with Higuain popping up at the box post to nod in a wild late winner!
Inter 1-2 Juve 2019/20
Another San Siro showdown that would be decided by Pipita in an all-Argentine affair. Juve would take an early lead through Dybala after just four minutes when he latched onto Miralem Pjanic’s through-pass to slot home, only to have Lautaro Martinez equalise from the penalty spot on 18 minutes. A tense and nail-biting Derby d’Italia would then play out, but again late on, it would be Higuain with the final say, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s pass found Rodrigo Bentancur in the box, who in turn fed Pipita to put away past Samir Handanovic!
