Juventus have only lost two games so far this season, with the first being a 3-1 defeat in the league at the hands of Lazio. The second took place last night in Saudi Arabia, as the reigning Italian champions were put to the sword once again by the very same team, Lazio, who won the Italian Super Cup to once again warn Juventus fans that this season may not go all their way after all.
An odd evening
The fact that the game was hosted in Saudi Arabia will continue to be a source of great contention, and rightly so. There are plenty of human rights violations that have been noted and pointed out time and time again, and the fact that they’re offering so much money to get these events simply shouldn’t matter.
In terms of the game itself, Lazio continued to prove why they’re being viewed as dark horses in the race for the Serie A title. They cut Juve off at every single turn and came across as a team that is really starting to piece things together. In the first half there was a real feeling out process on display, but it was Lazio who got the better of the half with Luis Alberto scoring 15 minutes into the game to give them the lead.
The thrill of the Super Cup
It took until the stroke of half time for Juventus to really get going with Paulo Dybala equalising to drag them, kicking and screaming, back into the game . Senad Lulic restored the lead for Lazio heading into the last 15 minutes, with Danilo Cataldi putting the finishing touches on the win in injury time.
A red card for Rodrigo Bentancur just prior to the final goal of the game ensured that it was going to be a miserable day at the office for Juventus, although they’re still very much considered to be the leading contenders alongside Inter Milan for the title. Now, we just have to wait and see whether or not the momentum of this result is going to make any sort of notable impact in the league.
Match Report
Juventus: Szczesny (6.5), Sandro (7), Bonucci (6), Demiral (6.5), Sciglio (6.5), Matuidi (6.5), Pjanic (6.5), Bentancur (5.5), Dybala (7), Ronaldo (7.5), Higuain (6), Ramsey (6), Cuadrado (6), Costa (6)
Lazio: Strakosha (7), Felipe (7), Acerbi (6.5), Radu (6.5), Lazzari (7), Milinkovic-Savic (7.5), Leiva (7), Alberto (7.5), Lulic (8.5), Correa (7.5), Immobile (6.5), Cataldi (7), Parolo (7), Caicedo (6.5)
Referee: Gianpaolo Calvarese
Goals: Dybala :: Alberto, Lulic, Cataldi
Yellow Cards: Matuidi, Bentancur x2, Leiva, Alberto, Cataldi
Red Cards: Bentancur
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