Dangerous Bianconeri only in the first 20 ‘, then Mancuso’s goal that decides the match and gives the first three points to Andreazzoli
The era post-Cristiano Ronaldo begins with a resounding home knockout againstEmpoli. The Juventus collapses 1-0 at the Stadium on the second day of A league, still postponing the appointment with the first seasonal success. The bianconeri start strong, but are punished in the 21st minute by a goal by Mancuso and they can no longer react, despite the entry of all the guns available. Another misstep for Merry after the equal of Udine.
THE MATCH
Allegri’s Juve is still not engaging. If against Udinese it was Szczesny’s two injuries that ruined an overall good performance, against Empoli the Juventus team is revealed again very similar to that of last season, with all the defects of the case: extremely fragile behind, but most of all confusing, disordered e imprecise front. The Livorno coach will have to work hard to restore identity to a group that seems to have lost it completely and the break, in this sense, probably comes at the worst moment. To take away the Old Lady’s scalp is a tough, cynical team, but also capable of highlighting all her talents. Andreazzoli leaves the Stadium with a historic result and with the awareness of having in your hands a group on which to build a great season.
Eager to do well in front of the newfound public the bianconeri start with a frenetic pace to say the least, trying to crush the opponent immediately. After 4 ‘ Vicar must surpass himself on a beautiful secluded conclusion of the Church, which is repeated at 12 ‘at the end of a wonderful serpentine, finding the goalkeeper of the Tuscans is still very attentive. After the initial outburst of the hosts Empoli rearranges itself and at the first opportunity it strikes: nice lunge of Bandinelli on the left, after a couple of lucky rebounds the ball ends up at Mancuso who anticipates everyone and mockery Szczesny for it 0-1. The Bianconeri’s response is, needless to say, entrusted to right of church, neutralized for the third time by Vicar in the corner. The goal conceded, however, makes Allegri’s men nervous, who begin to miss many supports and discover the side of several counter-attacks. Around half an hour Dybala protests for a contact in the area with Luperto, quite evident at the replay but not seen by either Ghersini or the Var. It is the last Juventus jolt of an opaque first half and anything but convincing
At the beginning of the second half Allegri immediately put on the field Morata in place of an evanescent McKennie, but the music doesn’t change. The team remains predictable, technical errors are wasted, the ball never reaches where it should e the great personality of Empoli continues to create more than one headache in Szczesny. The entrances of Locatelli, Bernardeschi and Kulusevski increase the offensive weight of the bianconeri, but the team remains completely lost, unable to create dangerous actions e in constant trouble on opposing counter-attacks. Andreazzoli’s guys almost limit themselves to managing, holding their breath only in the final on a ‘raid by Locatelli. The ball, however, hisses to the side and the joy of the Tuscans can explode.
REPORT CARDS
Dybala 5 – The player who had led the team in Udine disappears, caged by the Empoli defense, often forced to lower himself a lot to make up for the lack of imagination in midfield and also inaccurate in dribbling and conclusions. Bad evening from every point of view.
Church 6.5 – He tries three times in the first half always finding Vicario’s gloves. It is the only one capable of creating concrete dangers and it also crashes a lot during the folding phase.
McKennie 5 – Allegri deploys him in the role of raider behind Dybala and Chiesa with the aim of exploiting his insertions and not giving reference points, but he plays very few balls and immediately gets lost in the jerseys of the opponent’s midfield. Out after an impalpable first half.
Mancuso 7 – First goal in Serie A at the age of 29, at the Stadium, against Juventus, decisive for a historic victory. An evening simply to remember.
Bandinelli 7,5 – As I count Lazio, he is the one who gets the best of the match for Empoli. His thrust is inexhaustible, his insertions always dangerous. From one of his initiatives behind Cuadrado comes the action that leads to the goal that decides the match.
Luperto 7 – Rough, but always punctual in the closures. He almost never runs Dybala, taking away one of his most dangerous weapons from Juve.
THE TABLE
Juventus-Empoli 0-1
Juventus (4-3-1-2): Szczesny 6; Cuadrado 6.5 (37 ‘st De Sciglio sv), Bonucci 5.5, De Ligt 6, Alex Sandro 5.5; Bentancur 5 (21 ‘st Locatelli 6), Danilo 6, Rabiot 5.5 (10’ st Bernardeschi 5.5); McKennie 5 (1 ‘st Morata 5.5); Church 6.5 (21 ‘st Kulusevski 6), Dybala 5.
Trainer: Allegri 5
Empoli (4-3-1-2): Vicar 7; Stojanovic 6.5, Luperto 7, Ismajli 7, Marchizza 6.5; Haas 6, Ricci 6.5, Bandinelli 7.5 (35 ‘st Zurkowski sv); Bajrami 7 (25 ‘Stulac 6); Mancuso 7 (28 ‘st Pinamonti 6), Cutrone 6.5 (35’ st Henderson sv).
Trainer: Andreazzoli 7.5
Referee: Ghersini
Markers: 21 ‘Mancuso (E)
Ammonites: Stojanovic (E), Cutrone (E), Ismajli (E), Bernardeschi (J), Danilo (J)
Expelled:
THE STATISTICS
-Juventus did not find success in the first two Serie A matches of the season only for the third time in the last 52 championships played in the top flight (after 2010/11 and 2015/16).
– Juventus have lost their 10th home Serie A match since playing at the Stadium (2011/12) – 30% of these defeats came in 2021 (3/10).
– Empoli won for the first time at Juventus in Serie A, after 12 away games in which they had recorded 11 defeats and one draw.
– Juventus have lost two consecutive games against newly promoted teams in Serie A (Benevento in May and Empoli today) for the first time since 1999.
– Juventus have lost two consecutive home matches against newly promoted teams in Serie A for the first time in their history in the competition.
– Empoli found success against Juventus in Serie A for the first time since 1999, again 1-0.
– Empoli scored an away goal against Juventus in Serie A for the first time since January 2006 (goal by Sergio Almirón), interrupting a streak of five goalless games at the Bianconeri.
– Juventus have conceded at least one goal in nine consecutive home matches in all competitions for the first time since September 2011, under Antonio Conte.
– Juan Cuadrado played his 300th Serie A match today, becoming the third Colombian to reach this milestone in the three-point-a-win era, after Iván Córdoba (323) and Cristián Zapata (311).
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