Juventus put their recent disappointments behind them with a gritty 2-0 win against Hellas Verona at the Allianz Stadium, securing their fifth consecutive Serie A victory. The Bianconeri, who faced fan protests following their Champions League exit to PSV Eindhoven and Coppa Italia elimination by Empoli, showed resilience to overcome a stubborn Verona side.
The match began with both teams creating chances, but it was Juventus who dominated possession and looked more threatening. Manuel Locatelli and Weston McKennie both came close to opening the scoring, while Verona’s Tomas Suslov and Amin Sarr tested Michele Di Gregorio with long-range efforts.
Lorenzo Montipò was in fine form for Verona, making several crucial saves to deny Khephren Thuram, Kenan Yildiz, and Randal Kolo Muani. The visitors thought they had taken the lead just before halftime when Suslov scored a spectacular long-range strike, but it was ruled out for offside in the build-up.
As the second half progressed, Juventus continued to press for the breakthrough. Their persistence finally paid off when Andrea Cambiaso’s cutback found Thuram, who swept home with his weaker left foot to give the hosts the lead.
Teun Koopmeiners, who faced some jeers from the crowd upon his introduction, silenced his critics by adding a second goal late in the game. The Dutch midfielder latched onto Samuel Mbangula’s through ball and beat Montipò at his near post from a tight angle.
The victory sees Juventus consolidate their fourth position in Serie A, now sitting just six points behind league leaders Inter. For Thiago Motta’s side, this result represents a significant step forward as they look to put their recent cup disappointments behind them and focus on their league campaign.
Despite missing several key players through injury, including Francisco Conceicao, Douglas Luiz, and Gleison Bremer, Juventus showed depth and determination to grind out an important win. The return of Pierre Kalulu to the squad after a month-long absence will be a welcome boost for the Bianconeri as they continue their pursuit of a Champions League spot and potentially challenge for the Scudetto.
Goals: Thuram 72 (J), Koopmeiners 90 (J)
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Weah (61′ Alberto Costa), Gatti (71′ Kalulu), Kelly, Cambiaso; Locatelli, Thuram; Yildiz (82′ Mbangula), McKennie (61′ Koopmeiners), Nico Gonzalez; Kolo Muani (82′ Vlahovic)
Verona (3-4-2-1): Montipò; Dawidowicz (46′ Ghilardi), Coppola, Valentini; Faraoni (46′ Oyegoke), Duda, Niasse, Tchatchoua; Suslov (79′ Kastanos), Livramento (56′ Bernede); Sarr (86′ Lambourde)