02 March 2023
Juventus Next Gen plays a good match in front of the audience in the Allianz Stadium (twenty-one thousand spectators) in the first leg of the Serie C Italian Cup Final, but it's not enough: Vicenza wins with a goal in the final minutes of the match, just when it seemed that, in Vicenza, the match would start from 1-1
THE MATCH
The match starts with both teams quite cautious, paying attention in the initial phase not to concede anything. The first chance of the game belongs to Juve: after 5 minutes, Iocolano curls in a beautiful free-kick from the left into the box, but Stramaccioni jumps all alone and misses the target from a good position. At min 12, Soulè invents a splendid pass for Pecorino, who tries to chip the Vicenza goalkeeper who came out of the goal, but he fails to score. However, the disappointment does not last long, as Emanuele was in an offside position.
Minutes pass, and Vicenza grows stronger: there are two phenomenal interventions by Crespi to record, in a short time, at 18' and 20': the first on a volley shot by Ronaldo, the second on a close-range header by Ferrari: our goalkeeper literally takes the ball away from the goal.
These are the only two chances for the guests, supported tonight by a lot of fans in the away section, completing an Allianz Stadium that offers a beautiful sight, worthy of a final.
The first half passes without further excitement for a long time, with Vicenza trying to create the play, and Juventus holding the spaces and trying quick counterattacks. At 39', the first real break of the match happens for the guests: Ronaldo crosses from the right, Ierardi is waiting in the box, the ball ricochets off Stramaccioni who tries to anticipate him and goes into the goal.
Five minutes later, Juventus reacts: Savona crosses from the right, Iling-Junior coordinates in the box and heads, the ball goes just wide.
Juventus goes into halftime down by one goal, but not tamed: when the second half starts, Juve equalizes the match (at min 47): Soulé takes the free-kick from the mat, the ball hits the crossbar, but there's Iling-Junior waiting in the box, who heads and makes the Allianz Stadium explode.
The match opens up, Juventus runs on the wings of the scored goal and at 58' Samuel creates panic in the Vicenza area, concluding the personal action with a shot-cross saved by Iacobucci.
On the other hand, Vicenza becomes dangerous mainly with Ronaldo, who first challenges Crespi, a few minutes after the white-and-black goal, from outside, and then almost hits the post on a free-kick (57').
In the last half-hour, the pace slows down, with less dangerous chances, except for a long-range shot by Stoppa at 86', which goes just wide: the impression is that the teams will settle with a draw. However, it is not so: Vicenza scores in the final minutes, with a great goal by Jimenez, who shots from a deflected position on the right edge of the box and scores into the opposite top corner.
Juventus immediately reacts with a spectacular crossbar hit by Pecorino, and that's the last flurry.
The match ends two to one for the guests, but nothing is lost yet: see you in April, in Vicenza.
