07 August 2016
Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic and Simone Zaza were all on target, as Juventus got the better of West Ham in an entertaining 3-2 victory on Sunday for the official inauguration of the Premier League club’s new London Stadium.
Following the early, innocuous exchanges, Mario Mandzukic provided the game’s maiden shot on target after 11 minutes, heading Miralem Pjanic’s free-kick into the grasp of Hammers keeper Adrian.
The game sparked into life shortly afterwards, when Enner Valencia struck the post and, within just 36 seconds, the Bianconeri broke down the other end of the pitch to take the lead.
Continuing on from their profitable partnership last term, Mandzukic nodded the ball down for an onrushing Dybala to slide neatly home. This was La Joya’s second strike of pre-season after netting against Tottenham Hotspur last month.
Three minutes later, the two forwards linked up again to deadly effect. This time it was Dybala who turned provider, cutting inside Winston Reid and playing Mandzukic clean through on goal, the Croatian making no mistake from 10 yards out to put the visitors in control.
Very quiet up until the midway point of the half, West Ham eventually started to carve out a couple of chances of their own and promptly reduced the deficit when Andy Carroll turned in on the rebound after Gigi Buffon initially saved the striker’s bullet header from inside the box.
Juventus would end the first half with a flourish, however, Medhi Benatia crashing an effort off the crossbar after the home defence had denied Mandzukic and Alex Sandro on the line in an eventful goalmouth melee minutes before the interval.
Half-time attentions would turn inevitably to the sight of Gonzalo Higuain taking to the field for the very first time in Bianconeri colours, but Carroll made sure of stealing the limelight once more on 52 minutes, completing his brace with a powerful header past Neto to pull the Hammers back on level terms.
With both teams making a sea of changes over the course of the second period, the encounter dropped in tempo, with further scoring opportunities few and far between until Hernanes’ fine free-kick attempt in the 82nd minute which rattled the crossbar with Adrian beaten.
And only three minutes later, Juve struck what would prove to be the winning goal when Zaza tucked home coolly after racing onto Luca Marrone’s incisive pass.
The result hands Massimiliano Allegri’s men a third successive victory this pre-season – a run of form they will look to extend next Saturday when they face Espanyol at Modena’s Alberto Braglia stadium (20.00 CEST kick-off).
JUVENTUS
Buffon (Neto 46); Dani Alves (Untersee 59), Benatia (Barzagli 59), Rugani (Chiellini 59), Alex Sandro (Kastanos 87); Lemina (Marrone 78), Pjanic (Macek 78), Asamoah (Hernanes, 69); Pereyra (Zaza 69); Dybala (Pjaca 59), Mandzukic (Higuain 46).
Unused substitutes: Loria.
Coach: Allegri
