With a four-team race to earn fourth spot in Serie A, Juventus remain in pole position following Saturday’s showdown inside the Stadio Olimpico. Bologna slipped up 3-1 at Scudetto-chasing Inter Milan on Friday night, in-form AS Roma tackle third-placed Atalanta tomorrow while Juve and Lazio settled for a precious point.
It proved to be a dramatic encounter. Kolo Muani broke the deadlock early in the second-half, Pierre Kalulu was red carded on the hour-mark for violent conduct with Matias Vecino snatching an equalizer six minutes into added time.
Juventus interim manager Igor Tudor was positive at the post-match press conference, and declared: “The team is strong, it has values. With two or three additions next year, it can become of the highest level.”
With three Serie A games remaining before the meeting in Rome, there were three clubs level on points and only divided by goal difference with Juve slightly ahead of AS Roma but quite a distance from Lazio.
It was a high stakes meeting, especially with Serie A’s tiebreaker rules. Should teams finish the season level on points, they are separated by their head-to-head record and then goal difference if required. Juve registered a 1-0 triumph over Turin in October, so a draw for Tudor’s troops would be welcomed.
Big guns back
Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Gatti returned from injury to the matchday squad, but only deemed fit enough to be initially benched, with the January arrivals of Muani and Alberto Costa starting for the Bianconeri.
Shotstopper Michele Di Gregorio had to deal with the danger from Fisayo Dele-Bashiru in the second minute, and was kept on his toes as Lazio continued to make an aggressive start.
Costa came the closest to scoring for the visitors in the opening half, but his effort was charged down in the box on 16 minutes following an error from ‘keeper Christos Mandas.
With Lazio bossing the game, Nico Gonzalez was overwhelmed with Tudor constantly giving him instructions from the dugout. It came as no surprise that he was replaced by out of favor winger Francisco Conceicao during the interval.
More from Muani
After the turnaround, Juve surprisingly took the lead on 51 minutes. Weston McKennie picked out Muani, who headed past Mandas with aplomb.
The strike was a confidence-booster, but Kalulu spoiled the party mood. He inexplicably swung a fist onto the back of Valentin Castellanos’ shoulder and head to receive his marching orders. The VAR review showed a more incriminating angle to end Kalulu’s involvement in the game and for the rest of the Serie A as he will serve a two-match ban.
Juventus, who had been down to 10-men when Kenan Yildiz was dismissed against lowly Lecce, drew on that experience of coping as Lazio besieged the box in search of an equalizer.
Tudor appeared to panic, bringing on youngster Vasilije Adzic for a 10-minute cameo role and then replacing him with Vlahovic while Conceicao was hauled off for Gat
Spot-kick survival
The drama was notched up with two minutes left on the clock. Valentin Castellanosa intercepted a dreadful intended back pass from Nicolo Savona with on-rushing Di Gregorio’s reckless sliding tackle taking down the striker and missing the ball. A spot-kick was awarded with a lengthy VAR review, and as Castellanos was ruled offside in the build-up there was no penalty.
Juventus were under the cosh during the entire seven minutes of stoppage time. Boulaye Dia’s shot looked destined to find the bottom right corner but Di Gregorio pulled off impressive saves. Castellanos’ header hit the woodwork, with Vecino quick to latch onto the rebound and send into the center of the gaping goalmouth.
Juventus host their final Serie A home game next Sunday, when mid-table Udinese visit the Allianz Stadium. Tudor will be without the suspended trio of Kalulu, Savona and Khephren Thuram for the all-important meeting.
Tudor added: “I’m sorry for Kalulu. I saw the pictures, the gesture was there but I don't know if he takes it in the face or not. He’s a decent guy, he’s very sorry because he has great values"