02 February 2023
A Bremer header on the cusp of half-time sent Juventus into the Coppa Italia semi-finals. The defender’s goal gave the Bianconeri a 1-0 win over Lazio at the Allianz Stadium after a determined, focused display against the side from the Capital.
THE MATCH
The two sides took the measure of each other over the first quarter of an hour. The only threat to either goalkeeper came from a Mattia Zaccgni shot that Mattia Perin watched curl wide of his far post.
Just after the 15-minute mark, however, Perin’s opposite number was called into action.
Dušan Vlahović carried the ball down the right flank and worked it into the path of fellow-Serb Filip Kostić. The winger let fly with his trusted left foot and only the fingertips of Maximiano kept the ball out.
Juve stepped up their game and were often first on the loose ball in the centre of the park, allowing the team to build up momentum in attack.
One such example saw Kostić deliver an inviting cross into the heart of the Lazio penalty area. Adrien Rabiot rose unchallenged but couldn’t find direction on his header. The Lazio keeper, placed centrally, made a comfortable save.
A Kostić cross would set up the game’s opening goal, but only after Lazio threatened at the other end. Felipe Anderson was picked out in space at the edge of the area. His powerful drive whistled just wide of Perin’s post.
With the interval looming Juve broke the deadlock. A corner was partially cleared by the visiting defence. Nicolò Fagioli swung in another cross, which went all the way back to Kostić. The number 17 quickly lobbed the ball back into the middle, where Bremer timed his run to perfection. The central defender was quicker to the ball than the Lazio keeper, allowing him to nudge the ball over the advancing keeper into the unguarded net.
Juventus set their stall out at the start of the second half to defend their hard-earned lead.
Perin was eventually called on to make a save, from a Danilo Cataldi free-kick. The Juve keeper then had plenty of opportunity to show his safe handling as Lazio launched in plenty of crosses, all of which were dealt with by Perin.
At the other end, the Lazio keeper was brought into action after the interval with a save from a Manuel Locatelli drive at the midway point of the second half. As both coaches turned to the bench for fresh legs and to keep the level of concentration high, Bianconeri sub Moise Kean drilled in a low shot at the near post that tested Maximiano. The Lazio keeper finally making the save on his goal line.
Juve saw out the remainder of the match, keeping Lazio at a safe distance, and the slender goal was all that was needed to book a place in the semi-finals, where Inter await.
JUVENTUS 1-0 LAZIO (HT: 1-0)
Scorer: 44’ Bremer (J)
JUVENTUS: Perin; Danilo, Bremer, Alex Sandro; Cuadrado (88' De Sciglio), Fagioli (64' Miretti), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostić; Chiesa (78' Di Maria), Vlahović (63' Kean). Subs not used: Szczęsny, Pinsoglio, Rugani, Gatti, Paredes, Soulé, Iling-Junior. Coach: Allegri.
LAZIO: Maximiano; Lazzari, Patric, Romagnoli (78' Casale), Marusic; Vecino (59' Milinkovic-Savic), Cataldi (74' Marcos Antonio), Luis Alberto (75' Basic); Felipe Anderson, Immobile (46' Pedro), Zaccagni. Subs not used: Provedel, Adamonis, Gila, Radu, Hysaj, Lu. Pellegrini, Romero, Bertini, Cancellieri. Coach: Sarri.
Referee: Maresca
BOOKINGS: Cuadrado (J), Zaccagni (L), Perin (J), Danilo (J)
