07 February 2023
Juventus returned from Salerno with all three points on the back of a 3-0 victory. The Bianconeri's two Serbian internationals grabbed the goals, with a Dušan Vlahović double split by Filip Kostić just before the break.
After three matches without success in Serie A, Juventus rediscovered their winning touch in the league on the back of last week's win in Coppa Italia.
THE MATCH
As early as the third minute Dušan Vlahović showed his hunger. The number 9 hurled himself at a cross but his diving header finished off target.
No other player would have as many efforts on goal in the opening half, and it was the Serbian striker that opened the scoring with a penalty.
The incident that led to the spot kick was made in Next Gen as Juve-owned Salernitana loanee tripped Fabio Miretti inside the box after the teenage midfielder had played an intelligent give-and-go with Ángel Di María.
Vlahović struck his shot in off the post, out of reach of Guillermo Ochoa, for his first goal in the black and white stripes since October 21.
With his confidence boosted, Vlahović tried his luck on 33 minutes with a half-volley from outside the box, which dipped just over the Salernitana crossbar.
The only negative moment of the first half arrived on 43 minutes when Miretti was stretchered off with an ankle injury. Replacing the number 20 was another Next Gen product Nicolò Fagioli.
There was enough time though for Juve to double their lead before the break. Adrien Rabiot’s cross was headed into the path of Vlahović. The Serb miss hit his shot but it ended up as a perfect assist for his international teammate Filip Kostić. The winger stole in ahead of Ochoa to touch the ball beyond the advancing home keeper.
A Serbian one-two that gave Juve a solid lead at the interval.
And after the break Juve put the game on ice. Again Dušan was at the heart of the action, sweeping home his shot first-time after being played through by Fagioli.
The third goal for the Bianonceri knocked the stuffing out of the home side, who would never seriously test Wojciech Szczęsny over the length of the match.
Instead Juve kept on pushing forward in search of goal number four.
In fact, the frame of the goal stood between the Bianconeri and their adding to the advantage. First to strike the woodwork was Ángel Di María, whose curling effort had Ochoa beaten before crashing off the crossbar.
With the game heading into the final minutes, a burst of pace from Federico Chiesa left opponents in his wake. The number 7 rolled the ball for Moise Kean on the run inside the box. This time it was the post that got in the way, with Ochoa again grateful.
A confident performance produced a return to winning ways in Serie A for Juve. Three crucial points to begin their climb back up the league table.
SALERNITANA 0-3 JUVENTUS (HT: 0-2)
Scorers: 26’ & 47’ Vlahović, 45’ Kostić
SALERNITANA: Ochoa; Sambia, Troost-Ekong, Bronn, Bradaric (60’ Bonazzoli); Coulibaly (80’ Kastanos), Nicolussi Caviglia (71’ Bohimen), Vilhena (46’ Lovato); Candreva, Piatek (71’ Crnigoj), Dia. Subs not used: Sepe, Sorrentino, Daniliuc, Pirola, Botheim, Valencia. Coach: Nicola.
JUVENTUS: Szczęsny; Danilo, Bremer, Alex Sandro; De Sciglio (80’ Iling Junior), Miretti (43’ Fagioli), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic(62’ Cuadrado); Di Maria (62’ Chiesa), Vlahovic (79’ Kean). Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, Gatti, Rugani, Soulé. Coach: Allegri.
REFEREE: Rapuano.
BOOKINGS: Rabiot, Vilhena.
