16 January 2024
Juventus continued their winning start to 2024 with a 3-0 win over Sassuolo to get even against the only team to have defeated the Bianconeri this campaign.
A memorable Dusan Vlahovic double in the first half was added to by Federico Chiesa in the closing minute of the second period.
The three points saw Juve remain on the heels of Inter at the top of the table.
THE MATCH
A cautious start saw both sides take the measure of each other but at the first sight of goal on 15 minutes Juve took the lead. Pressing in midfield saw the Bianconeri recycle possession and Fabio Miretti quickly shuffled the ball onto Dusan Vlahovic at the edge of the area.
The striker took aim and hit a sweet curler up and over Andrea Consigli. For Dusan it was a fifth direct involvement in his last four league outings - and it wasn’t his last of the first half.
However, before Vlahovic completed his double, Wojciech Szczesny kept out a wicked drive from distance from Armand Lauriente.
Coming close to seeing their slender advantage cancelled out sparked Juve back into life and Kenan Yildiz jinked his way into the Sassuolo penalty area only to see his shot blocked by Gian Marco Ferrari.
Two minutes later, Miretti’s burst forward led to a free-kick within shooting distance. Vlahovic calmed himself before unleashing a left-foot screamer which flew into the top corner.
Vlahovic had a chance to complete a first-half hat-trick, but his free-kick from the opposite side was comfortably saved by Consigli. The Sassuolo keeper was then called on again to get down quickly to keep out an Adrien Rabiot pile driver.
After the restart Sassuolo tried to claw themselves back into the contest, through their talisman Domenico Berardi.
On 53’ he drilled a shot just wide, then on 64’ he galloped from his own half with the ball at his feet. The number 10’s shot required an exceptional one-handed save from Szczesny, made even more remarkable considering a deflection off the heel of Danilo caused the ball to change direction.
The closest Vlahovic came to completing his hat-trick in the second half was an effort from an acute angle, which Tressoldi blocked to concede a corner.
Tim Weah almost added goal number three with a quarter of an hour remaining after being set up in the area by fellow substitutes Federico Chiesa and Arkadiusz Milik. The US international lashed his shot over the bar.
It was Chiesa, however, that ensured the Juve subs left their mark in the final minute of normal time. Milik chased down what seemed a lost cause deep in Sassuolo territory. Chiesa allowed the ball to run through to Manuel Locatelli, who again showed his generous side by laying a pass into the path of Chiesa for a close-range finish to wrap up the scoring.
Juve head to Lecce on Sunday with confidence high on the back of six straight wins in all competitions.
JUVENTUS 3-0 SASSUOLO (HT: 2-0)
Scorers: 14′ & 36′ Vlahovic, 87′ Chiesa
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Danilo, Bremer, Rugani; Cambiaso (87′ Alex Sandro), Miretti (56′ Weah), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic (80′ Iling-Jr.); Vlahovic (80′ Milik), Yildiz (56′ Chiesa). Subs not used: Pinsoglio, Perin, Nicolussi Caviglia, Nonge, Hasa. Coach: Allegri.
SASSUOLO: Consigli; Pedersen, Erlic (45′ Tressoldi), Ferrari, Viti(73′ Missori); Matheus Henrique, Boloca, Thorstvedt (69′ Volpato); Berardi (69′ Castillejo), Pinamonti, Lauriente (83′ Mulattieri). Subs not used: Pegolo, Cragno, Bajrami, Ceide, Alvarez, Lipani. Coach: Dionisi.
Referee: Piccinini
Bookings: 41′ Erlic, 64’ Ferrari
