GOALS in the opening fifteen minutes from Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie, gave Juventus just enough to get past Genoa and go within one point of the final Champions League spot.
Genoa put in a valiant second half effort and were nearly back in the game, but for Juve’s substitute keeper Michele Di Gregorio, who came on at half-time and saved a crucial penalty in the 75th minute.
The victory keeps Juventus in fifth, but Roma’s defeat yesterday and Como’s draw earlier in the afternoon means that the Bianconeri are within one point of fourth place, and the final Champions League spot.
Genoa also retain their league standing of 14th, but are just 6 points above the relegation zone and need an uptick in form to ensure their safety in Serie A, as they have now lost consecutive league games.
It was also a milestone day for Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti, who claimed his 300th career Serie A victory and in doing so extended the Bianconeri‘s unbeaten league run to five games.
Story of the Match
Juventus coach Spalletti made three changes, starting Jonathan David ahead of Jeremie Boga, with Lloyd Kelly picked instead of Federico Gatti, whilst goalkeeper Mattia Perin replaced the injured Di Gregorio.
Genoa manager Daniele De Rossi also made three changes as Ruslan Malinovskyi and Aarón Martín returned to the lineup in place of Tommaso Baldanzi and Sebastian Otoa. Meanwhile, Mikael Ellertsson replaced Brooke Norton-Cuffy, who was unavailable due to a hamstring injury.
It took the home side less than four minutes to take the lead, when a bouncing ball inside the box was headed towards goal by Bremer, with a wicked deflection helping the shot into the net.
Just ten minutes later, the Bianconeri doubled their lead with a blistering counter that ended in a one-two between Francisco Conceição and McKennie, as the American slotted home from near the penalty spot.
It should have been a Juventus third just before the break, when McKennie somehow poked the ball over the bar from just five yards out, instead the hosts kept their two goal lead going into half-time.
Juventus started the second half by subbing on their regular keeper Di Gregerio for Perin, whilst David went up the other end immediately and rattled the post with a powerful shot from outside the box.
A loose challenge from Bremer right on the edge of the box was initially given as a free-kick but was then overturned and awarded as a penalty following VAR intervention. The ensuing spot kick was taken by Aarón Martín but was emphatically saved by Di Gregorio, who also kept out the rebound.
Genoa continued pressing forward in search of a way back into the contest, firing shot after shot at the Juventus goal, but the visitors were nearly caught out at the back, when a ridiculous halfway line attempt from Arkadiusz Milik was just about tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Justin Bijlow.
Juventus then managed to hold out for the remaining ten minutes of normal time, plus five minutes of injury time, to make it 5 league games unbeaten and go within one point of fourth placed Como.
