Juve snatch late victory against Como | OneFootball

Juve secured their second consecutive victory, winning a tough game away at Como, despite a good performance from the hosts. The Bianconeri were victorious thanks to another brace, for the second game in a row, by Randal Kolo Muani, who scored the winning penalty late on in the game.

THE MATCH REPORT

The opening stages were played at a high tempo. Como started strongly and in the 5th minute they posed a threat via Patrick Cutrone, who brought the ball down on the edge of the box before firing goalwards: his shot was powerful but was blocked by the Bianconeri defence. Juventus responded with a move down the right orchestrated by Weston McKennie, whose cross was intercepted by Alex Valle before it could reach Kolo Muani.

Thiago Motta's team grew into the game as the match wore on and began to take control. In the 34th minute the Bianconeri took the advantage: Kolo Muani rushed past Alberto Dossena before quickly shifting the ball onto his right and beating Jean Butez with a precise strike across goal which nestled in the far corner of the net. 1-0 to Juventus.

Como, however, did not give up and increased their pressure in the final minutes of the first half. They equalised in the 45th minute: Cutrone recovered the ball on the edge of the box, looked up and delivered a precise cross into the area. Assane Diao timed his run to perfection and beat Michele Di Gregorio with a clinical header, with the keeper getting his fingertips to the ball but unable to prevent it from finding the back of the net. The Como fans went wild, the goal was confirmed after a brief VAR check, and we went into half-time at 1-1.

In the second half the match remained in the balance. Como kept on believing and Di Gregorio was again called into action in the 47th minute: using his feet to block Nico Paz’s effort. Juventus replied with an effort by Nico Gonzalez in the 70th minute, but his left-footed strike from the edge of the box was wayward and sailed wide of the target.

The match seemed to be heading for a draw, but the game came to life in the closing stages.

In the 87th minute Juventus were awarded a penalty kick. Federico Gatti ran into the box following a free kick, Butez made a late decision to come out and brought him down. The referee had no doubts and pointed to the penalty spot, and Kolo Muani made no mistake from twelve yards out, coolly beating the goalkeeper to give Juve the lead late on.

In the 90th minute Como hit the crossbar through Dossena’s header: it was to be the last chance of the match, as the Bianconeri claim all three points after an important victory.

Gallery | Como - Juventus

COMO 1-2 JUVENTUS

Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Friday 6 February 2025 at 20:45 (CET) Serie A – Matchday 24

Goals: 34’ Kolo Muani (J), 45+1’ Diao (C), 89’ Kolo Muani (Pen.) (J)

Como: Butez, Smolcic, Dossena, Goldaniga, Valle (73’ Van Der Brempt (79’ Jack)), Perrone, Da Cunha (79’ Engelhardt), Strefezza, Paz, Diao (73’ Douvikas), Cutrone (64’ Ikone). Unused Substitutes: Lovine. Vigorito, Reina, Braunoder, Chinetti, Caqueret, Lesjak. Coach: Cesc Fabregas.

Juventus: Di Gregorio, Weah, Gatti, Veiga, Savona (46’ Kelly), Koopmeiners (61’ Douglas Luiz), Locatelli (61’ Thuram), Nico Gonzalez (76’ Conceicao), McKennie, Yildiz (67’ Mbangula), Kolo Muani. Unused Substitutes: Perin, Costa, Vlahovic, Adzic, Pinsoglio, Rouhi. Coach: Thiago Motta.

Referee: Rosario Abisso Assistants: Valerio Vecchi, Khaled Bahri Fourth Official: Marco Monaldi

Bookings: 28’ Savona (J), 37’ Valle (C), 75’ Strefezza (C), 86’ Goldaniga (C)

Next Match:

Juventus-PSV Eindhoven UEFA Champions League – Play-off Round – First Leg Tuesday, 11 February, 2025 at 21:00 (CET) Allianz Stadium