02 April 2024
Juventus took a convincing lead in the Italian Cup semi-final against Lazio with a 2-0 first leg victory at the Allianz Stadium.
Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic transformed Juve’s second-half dominance into goals. Chiesa scored on 50 minutes, Vlahovic on 64’.
The return leg in three weeks now cannot come around quickly enough.
THE MATCH
A change of venues and a change of competition but the second showdown in quick succession against Lazio was just as tightly contested as the previous encounter just three days before at the Olimpico in Rome.
As in the league meeting, the deadlock remained unbroken at half-time also in the Italian Cup semi-final home leg. The story could have been different had the referee not overturned his initial decision to award Juventus a penalty on 11 minutes. Andrea Cambiaso was caught by Matias Vecino as the Uruguayan midfielder attempted to clear after a spate of Bianconeri pressure.
However, after an on-field review it was decided that Cambiaso had actually come back from an offside position before being fouled.
Complicating the first half was a booking for Federico Gatti, who will now miss the return leg through suspension.
Among all the tough tackling and tight marking, either side did manage to create a chance before the break. The first fell to Lazio on 39 minutes when Luis Alberto’s looping header came back off the crossbar. Mattia Perin appeared to have the situation under control.
Inside first-half stoppage time Adrien Rabiot responded with a rasping volley from the edge of the area that stung the gloves of Christos Mandas.
The second half was a different story altogether. Juventus put on a powerful display. Pure determination was matched by some silky skills and lethal finishing.
The opening goal arrived five minutes after the restart. Andrea Cambiaso worked his way into space inside his own half before releasing a defence-splitting pass into the path of Federico Chiesa. The number 7 took one touch before steering his shot into the far corner.
The Bianconeri continued to push and grabbed a second a quarter of an hour later. Weston McKennie and Dusan Vlahovic worked together on the counter attack, with McKennie combining once more to set up another Vlahovic finish.
In defence the hosts conceded nothing and relentlessly pushed on in search of a third goal. Federico Gatti placed a header just wide from a Filip Kostic corner. Tim Weah and Kenan Yildiz strode forward in support of Vlahovic with five minutes to play but the number 9 was denied a second home double against the Biancoceleste as Mandas somehow intercepted Weah’s cross.
There is now time for everybody to catch their breath ahead of the second leg on April 23rd.
JUVENTUS 2-0 LAZIO (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: 50′ Chiesa, 64′ Vlahovic
JUVENTUS: Perin; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso (80′ Weah), McKennie (88′ Alcaraz), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic (88′ Alex Sandro); Chiesa (80′ Yildiz), Vlahovic (85′ Kean). Subs not used: Szczesny, Pinsoglio, De Sciglio, Iling Jr, Miretti, Rugani, Djalo, Nicolussi Caviglia. Coach: Allegri.
LAZIO: Mandas; Patric (46′ Casale), Romagnoli, Gila (79′ Hysaj); Marusic, Guendouzi, Vecino, Zaccagni (13′ Isaksen); Felipe Anderson, Luis Alberto (71′ Kamada); Immobile (71′ Castellanos). Subs not used: Sepe, Renzetti, Ruggeri, Cataldi, Coulibaly, Saná Fernandes, Diego Gonzalez. Coach: Tudor.
Referee: Massa
Bookings: 36′ Gatti, 84′ Weah
