Juventus 3-1 Lazio: Dusan Vlahovic strikes twice as Juve maintain ...
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Juventus have gone top of Serie A following a 3-1 win against Lazio on Saturday, with Dusan Vlahovic the star.
Attacking pair Dusan Vlahovic and Federico Chiesa scored for Juventus in a dominant display as Massimiliano Allegri’s side maintained their unbeaten start to the season.
Vlahovic put Juventus ahead before Chiesa doubled the hosts' lead in the first half.
Lazio halved the deficit in the second half when Luis Alberto struck beautifully, but his effort was quickly cancelled out when Vlahovic grabbed his second of the game.
Juventus have overtaken AC Milan and Inter to take control of the table, while Lazio are in danger of dropping into the relegation zone this weekend, and currently sit 15th.
The Serbian continued his devastating start to the Serie A campaign with his third goal in four games, exquisitely steering Manuel Locatelli’s cross in at the near post to give Juventus an early lead.
Wojciech Szczesny came to the hosts' aid to tip over Daichi Kamada’s powerful effort as Lazio threatened for the first time, and one minute later Juventus had their second.
Adrien Rabiot poked the ball perfectly into the path of Chiesa, who drilled the ball to Ivan Provedel's left and into the bottom corner.
Alberto got Lazio on the board with a brilliant strike, lofting the ball over Szczesny to give the visitors hope of a turnaround.
But Vlahovic quickly dampened hopes of an unlikely comeback with an equally brilliant strike, bringing the ball down surrounded by a cluster of blue shirts before sweeping the ball beyond Provedel.
Next up for Juventus is Sassuolo on Saturday, while they host Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, which will be live on TNT Sports.
TALKING POINT - ARE THINGS FINALLY TICKING FOR VLAHOVIC?
It’s four goals in four games for the Serbian this season, which is already 40% of the goals he managed last campaign when he scored 10 in 27 league appearances. Not a terrible return by any stretch of the imagination, but there is no doubt he has struggled in parts since his €81m arrival in January 2022.
But after matching his best start to a Serie A campaign, could he now be hitting that same form he showed at Fiorentina?
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - DUSAN VLAHOVIC (JUVENTUS)
Vlahovic registered his first league brace since February and it has made the difference as Juventus continue their unbeaten start to the season. That’s what the club paid the big money for, and there is no reason why - if he can stay fit - he can’t continue this devastating form.
The striker becomes the first player in history to score at least four goals in the opening four matches of a Serie A campaign for Juventus.
MATCH RATINGS
JUVENTUS: Szczesny 7, Gatti 7, Bremer 7, Danilo 7, McKennie 8, Miretti 6, Locatelli 8, Rabiot 8, Kostic 7, Vlahovic 9, Chiesa 8
Subs: Weah 6, Cambiaso 6, Fagioli 7, Milik N/A, Kean N/A
LAZIO: Provedel 6, Marusic 6, Casale 6, Romagnoli 6, Hysaj 5, Kamada 7, Cataldi 6, Alberto 8, Anderson 6, Immobile 6, Zaccagni 6
Subs: Pellegrini 6, Guendouzi 6, Rovella 6, Rodriguez 6, Castellanos 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
10’ - GOAL!! JUVENTUS 1-0 LAZIO (VLAHOVIC) - Anderson darts down the right wing before offloading the ball to Manuel Locatelli, who produces a fabulous cross for Vlahovic to steer home emphatically at the near post.
25’ - SZCZESNY TIPS OVER KAMADA'S EFFORT! The ball falls perfectly just inside the box for Daichi Kamada to strike which he does well, but Szczesny is alert to tip his effort over the bar. That's Lazio's best chance of the game.
26’ - GOAL!! JUVENTUS 2-0 LAZIO (CHIESA) - Adrien Rabiot tries to take the ball in his stride and work some room for a shot just inside the box, but it rolls perfectly into the path of Chiesa who drills the ball to Provedel's left and into the bottom corner.
64’ - GOAL!! JUVENTUS 2-1 LAZIO (ALBERTO) - Alberto drives towards goal and loops the ball over Szczesny from outside the box with a terrific effort. Game on!
67’ - GOAL!! JUVENTUS 3-1 LAZIO (VLAHOVIC) - McKennie sends a lofted ball towards Vlahovic who is on his own and surrounded by three Lazio defenders, takes the ball down on his chest outside the box and sweeps the ball into the far bottom corner - superb technique!
KEY STAT
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