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Last-gasp Juve take derby spoils

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Last-gasp Juve take derby spoils
Last-gasp Juve take derby spoils
Last-gasp Juve take derby spoils

The Bianconeri take home the all-important bragging rights in Turin after Juan Cuadrado’s injury-time winner ensured his side secured a precious 2-1 victory against their inter-city rivals at Juventus Stadium on Saturday evening.

An electric atmosphere accompanied every moment of the 190th Derby della Mole and the encounter would reach fever pitch in the 19th minute when Paul Pogba lofted a marvellous half-volley over Daniele Padelli to give the hosts a precious early lead.

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The visitors began to grow into the game, without ever testing Gigi Buffon until their equaliser in the 51st minute, Cesare Bovo lashing home from the rebound to his free-kick.

Six minutes later, Buffon had to be at his very best to block Kamil Glik’s ferocious header from point-blank range before making further saves from the Polish defender and Davide Zappacosta, as Juve’s keeper and captain ensured his side emerged unscathed from a series of scares in the second period.

After dealing with Torino’s threatening counter-attacks, the Bianconeri eventually managed to create a couple of gilt-edged opportunities themselves, Leonardo Bonucci glancing a brilliant header onto the bar before Cuadrado scrambled home the winner in the final minute of stoppage time under the South Stand to launch the entire ground into scenes of unbridled joy.

A cagey opening to the match saw both sides size up one another inch for inch and it would take until the 17th minute for the first shot to be struck: Pogba trying his luck from the edge of the box, but Padelli was able to gather the centrally-hit effort with relative ease.

There would be nothing the Torino keeper could do whatsoever about Pogba’s next attempt only two minutes later, the Frenchman taking Juan Cuadrado’s pass into his stride before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley over and past the helpless Padelli to all but lift the roof off Juventus Stadium.

Moments prior to taking the lead, Granata striker Fabio Quagliarella had found the side-netting from a nearly impossible angle. On the half-hour mark, however, the ex-Juve man had the hosts far more worried when he fired whiskers wide from a much more central and dangerous position.

On 42 minutes, the visitors threatened again when Giuseppe Vives’ pinpoint cross picked out Cristian Molinaro at the back post and the left-wing-back’s shot almost found forward Maxi Lopez, but the latter was penalised for a foul on Andrea Barzagli.

Giampiero Ventura’s men continued to put themselves about after the break, winning a free-kick 25 yards out that Cesare Bovo struck into the wall, but instantly latched onto the rebound to rifle into Buffon’s top corner, giving his side a 51st minute equaliser with their first shot on target.

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And six minutes later, Juve’s stopper produced heroics by tipping Glik’s fierce header over the crossbar from point-blank range.

On the hour-mark, the Bianconeri were stepping up their search to regain the lead, as Hernanes whizzed one over the bar before Paulo Dybala’s curler took a wicked deflection just wide of Padelli’s upright.

Their regular bursts forward towards the South Stand left the hosts vulnerable to the counter-attack and Buffon needed to be alert to push Zappacosta’s drive clear of danger before saving another Glik header from the resulting corner.

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Down the other end of the pitch, Torino were defending in numbers and managed to stifle Massimiliano Allegri’s charges for long periods until the 90th minute, when Bonucci’s bullet header rattled the bar.

With time running out for what seemed an unlikely winner, the hosts managed to keep their nerve, substitute Alex Sandro sliding a perfect ball across the box for Cuadrado to bundle home in an unforgettable finale to the derby.

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Juventus-Torino: PHOTOS

JUVENTUS
Buffon; Padoin, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Khedira (Cuadrado 10), Marchisio, Pogba; Hernanes; Morata (Mandzukic 78), Dybala (Alex Sandro 87)
Unused substitutes: Neto, Audero, Caceres, Rugani, Sturaro, Lemina, Zaza
Coach: Allegri

TORINO
Padelli; Bovo, Glik, Moretti; Peres, Acquah, Vives, Baselli (Benassi 65), Molinaro (Zappacosta 61); Maxi Lopez (Belotti 88), Quagliarella
Unused substitutes: Castellazzi, Ichazo, Silva, Amauri, Prcic, Pryyma
Coach: Ventura

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