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Honours even with Chievo

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Honours even with Chievo
Honours even with Chievo
Honours even with Chievo

Juventus shared the spoils with early pacesetters Chievo this evening at Juventus Stadium after Paulo Dybala’s late penalty cancelled out Perparim Hetemaj’s early goal.

The Bianconeri started the match with a spring in their step, crisp passing and purposeful possession. It was however, the visitors who struck first, clinically converting their first shot of the encounter as Hetemaj rifled in from range to give his side the lead.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men reacted strongly, creating a host of chances to achieve parity during an opening period in which they threatened Albano Bizzari’s goal on numerous occasions, but could not find a goal before the break.

The second period followed a similar pattern with Bizzari keeping out two Hernanes strikes after Gianluigi Buffon did brilliantly to stop Bostjan Cesar from doubling the visitors’ lead.

The equaliser would eventually arrive in the 82nd minute, Paulo Dybala netting his third of the campaign from the spot after Juan Cuadrado was brought down in the box by Cesar.

The hosts pushed with vigour for a winner, but were unable to add to La Joya’s first goal at Juventus Stadium as the contest ended in a draw.

After a lively first few exchanges from the hosts, Chievo took the lead when Valter Birsa’s cross from the left rebounded off a defender’s leg, falling perfectly into the path of Hetemaj. The midfielder made no mistake with his shot from outside the box, which nestled just inside Buffon’s far post.

The Bianconeri responded well to the early sucker punch. First Hernanes took aim from 25 yards, with Bizzari at full reach to block the Brazilian’s effort. The visitors suffered another scare just moments later when Roberto Pereyra’s centre only just evaded Leonardo Bonucci inside the box and the Argentine then had a shot of his own, but could not keep it under the crossbar.

Debutant Alex Sandro was a consistent threat down the left flank and almost came up with an assist when he fed Paulo Dybala, but the striker, also making his first home start for his new club, fired over on the turn.

Juventus continued to knock firmly on the door as Stefano Sturaro would also come close, marginally misdirecting a header from Pereyra’s cross, but the home side could not make their pressure count as the visitors took a slender lead into half-time.

After scoring early in the first half, Rolando Maran’s men came close to doing the same in the second and it required the razor-sharp reactions of Buffon to tip Cesar’s smart swivel and shot onto the upright.

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In the 56th minute Juventus too struck the post through Pereyra’s effort from the edge of the penalty area, and Nicolas Frey was at hand to block Paul Pogba’s follow-up.

Only two minutes later referee Marco Guida waved away the hosts’ claims for a penalty after Pogba went down in the area. Meanwhile at the other end of the pitch, Cesar had an effort ruled out for an infringement in the box.

Bizzari then had to be alert to keep out Hernanes’ long-range drive as the Bianconeri continued to press for a way back into the contest.

And Chievo’s number one would subsequently make an even better save, getting his gloves to the Brazilian’s accurate free-kick with the ball destined for the top corner.

But Juve’s sustained pressure in the final third would eventually reap rewards in the 82nd minute, when Guida pointed to the spot after second-half substitute Cuadrado was felled by Cesar.

Up stepped Dybala, who fired emphatically into the roof of the net to set up a grandstand finish with Allegri’s men firmly in the hunt for a late winner.

But the visitors withstood the pressure to earn their fourth ever point away to the Bianconeri, who now turn their attentions to the Champions League and a visit to Manchester City on Tuesday night.

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