30 December 2023
Juventus saw out 2023 with a 13th match undefeated in Serie A following a 1-0 win over Roma at the Allianz Stadium.
The decider came two minutes into the second half when Adrien Rabiot scored after a Dusan Vlahovic backheel had played the midfielder through on goal.
With victory, the Bianconeri closed the gap on Inter at the top of the table to just two points.
THE MATCH
Kenan Yildiz held down his starting place for a second consecutive match. This time the teenager was joined in attack by Dusan Vlahovic.
The two showed a growing understanding as the first half progressed but it was Vlahovic’s presence inside his own penalty area that proved fundamental to thwart Roma’s opening attack. With four minutes on the clock, Bryan Cristante unleashed a powerful volley from inside the penalty area, which deflected off the Juve striker onto the post, with Wojciech Szczescy at full stretch.
Vlahovic then showed strength and opportunism to continually test the Giallorossi rearguard throughout the remainder of the first period. The number 9 dragged a shot wide on nine minutes. Three minutes later, bearing down on goal, he blasted his effort off target from a promising position.
On the half hour, Yildiz used his skill to leave the Roma defence trailing in his wake. He allowed Weston McKennie to take over, whose cross was acrobatically met by Vlahovic. Again the shot did not test Rui Patricio.
The visiting goalkeeper was relieved to see Yildiz also fail to hit the target after the 18-year-old ran at the Giallorossi defence.
A minute later, Roma once again threatened the Bianconeri defence. The chance fell to Paulo Dybala, whose swerving shot shaved Szczesny’s far post.
With the first half coming to a close, Juve created their most clear-cut chance. A long throw from McKennie reached Filip Kostic unmarked just inside the penalty area. The winger’s shot was crisply hit, but with Rui Patricio beaten all ends up, Evan N’Dicka spectacularly cleared off of his own line.
However, the opening goal arrived not long after the restart. Juventus picked up where they had left off, pinning Roma inside their own half.
The high pressing from the Bianconeri midfield allowed Kostic to chase down a loose ball, which broke to Vlahovic. The centre forward cleverly backheeled the ball into the path of Adrien Rabiot, who drilled his shot low and hard beyond Rui Patricio.
The hosts invited Roma to find a way to break them down but the nearest the capital outfit came was a curling shot from Dybala on 71’, which called on the watchful Szczesny to make a routine save.
Federcio Chiesa thought he had wrapped up the win with five minutes of normal time remaining when he latched onto Samuel Iling’s pass. However, the forward was flagged for offside after having deposited the ball into the net.
Despite seven minutes of time added on, Roma could find no way through the solid backline as Juve collected a 20th clean sheet of the calendar year.
Juventus start 2024 with a double header against Salernitana, first in Coppa Italian then Serie A, when the same team spirit will be called on to maintain the momentum.
JUVENTUS 1-0 ROMA (HT: 0-0)
Scorers: 47’ Rabiot
JUVENTUS: Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Weah, McKennie (90’+5′ Rugani), Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic (75′ Iling-Junior); Vlahovic (75′ Milik), Yildiz (65′ Chiesa). Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, Huijsen, Miretti, Nicolussi Caviglia, Nonge. Coach: Allegri.
ROMA: Rui Patricio; Mancini, Llorente, Ndicka; Kristensen, Cristante, Paredes (74′ El Shaarawy), Bove (64′ Pellegrini), Zalewski (79′ Azmoun); Dybala, Lukaku. Subs not used: Boer, Svilar, Karsdorp, Belotti, Celik, Renato Sanches, Spinazzola, Pagano, Pisilli. Coach: Mourinho.
Referee: Sozza
Bookings: 68′ Paredes, 77′ Locatelli
