04 October 2014
With the Bianconeri’s third consecutive Serie A title having been sewn up a week prior, the top teams in Italy came together to play out an entertaining encounter that certainly did not have an “end of season” feel to it.
Antonio Conte’s outfit went into the game on 96 points and looking to break the 100 barrier, a feat that never been accomplished in Italy whilst Roma, who had pretty much gone tête-à-tête with the newly-crowned champions all season, were looking to gatecrash the Scudetto party.
Michel Bastos tested Marco Storari early on with a long-range effort but it was a routine save for the shotstopper who was deputising for club captain Gigi Buffon.
The Bianconeri then enjoyed some early dominance as first Kwadwo Asamoah lashed over after great build-up play from Paul Pogba and Fernando Llorente before Carlos Tevez danced his way past two Roma challenges in the area but saw his shot trickle wide of Lukasz Skorupski’s upright.
After that period of sustained Juventus pressure, the Giallorossi went down the other end and a venomous, dipping half volley from talisman Francesco Totti skimmed the top of the crossbar with Storari seemingly beaten all ends up.
Skorupski then made a smart stop from Llorente who had bullied his way past Mehdi Benatia before the Polish goalkeeper reignited the rivalry moments later to gather a goalbound header from the Spaniard.
Both sides could have been ahead before the interval as Gervinho first beat the offside trap but Storari made himself big to make an excellent save from the Ivorian before Pogba’s long-range drive rattled the Giallorossi post.
HALF-TIME: #RomaJuve 0-0. It's been an entertaining, end-to-end first 45 at the Stadio Olimpico, but no goals to show as yet.
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
The second-half began at the same fast pace as Vasilis Torosidis made his way into the penalty area unchallenged but saw his effort pushed away by Storari.
Juventus’ number two then pulled off an instinctive double save to first keep out Radja Nainggolan and then pick himself up instantly to prevent Alessandro Florenzi converting the rebound.
An excellent double save from Storari, first denying Nainggolan before regaining his feet to thwart Florenzi's follow up. #RomaJuve
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
But it was to be the Bianconeri to go home with all three points and reach 99 in the process.
Stephan Lichtsteiner, in one of his typical lung-busting runs, crossed for Osvaldo who nonchalantly curled the ball home first-time in the fourth minute of injury time to send the visiting touchline into ecstasy.
GOAL! #RomaJuve 0-1. @danistone25 slams #Lichtsteiner's low cross into the top corner in the final minute of added time!
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
During the post-match interviews, Pogba paid tribute to the opposition after a closely fought, end-to-end showing.
#Pogba: “It wasn’t an easy game. We were up against an excellent side but we showed our strength and are happy with the win." #RomaJuve
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
The evening’s matchwinner Osvaldo, who had got one over on his former club with his goal, then gave us insight into that touchline celebration which showed the Bianconeri’s collective team spirit even this late in the season.
.@danistone25: "The best thing was the hug from my team-mates, they were almost happier than I was!" #RomaJuve
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
Conte’s side still had one more target on their minds going into the last game of the season - that magical 102-point tally.
No side in @SerieA_TIM history has ever managed to reach the heights of 99 points before! IMMENSE! #JuveX3 #RomaJuve pic.twitter.com/mPjKdw1wdc
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) May 11, 2014
Spoiler alert, Juventus managed to do it in style vanquishing Cagliari 3-0 in the final game of Serie A 2013/14 and the rest as they say, is history.
