Frenchman David Trezeguet came off the bench to score a late equalizer as Juventus narrowly avoided slumping to a first defeat this season in a 2-2 draw at Genoa on Thursday.
Hernan Crespo looked to have given Genoa a victory that would have moved them to within a point of the summit, but dreadful defending at a free-kick allowed Trezeguet to snatch the equalizer and ensure Juve boss Ciro Ferrara’s unbeaten run as the club’s coach continued.
The result, however, represented the end of the team’s 100 percent Serie A record.
PHOTO: AFP
Since taking over two games before the end of last season, Ferrara has led the Old Lady of Turin to six wins and two draws. Now they sit behind champions and leaders Inter only on goal difference.
Ferrara said his team had deserved the three points and complained about two disallowed goals when close offside decisions went against his side.
“It’s clear they weren’t offside. I’m disappointed because games can change on these decisions and straight after we conceded a goal,” Ferrara said. “We played really well and today we deserved to win, but even if it’s a bad result, it shows how we’re on the right path.”
Juve were off to a flying start as Vincenzo Iquinta gave them the lead in their first attack of the game.
Claudio Marchisio got down the wing and played a low ball toward the edge of the box where Mauro Camoranesi ran over it, leaving Iaquninta in space to shoot home into the bottom corner.
On 20 minutes, Genoa opened up Juve in much the same manner, but Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo threw himself in front of the ball to block Giandomenico Mesto’s shot. The Turin giants should have gone further ahead on the half-hour mark when Fabio Grosso’s free-kick found Juve’s strike pairing both free, but Amauri took the ball off the better-placed Iaquinta’s head and put his effort wide of the upright.
Juve were immediately made to pay as Mesto rose above his marker to head Giuseppe Sculli’s left wing cross beyond Gianluigi Buffon.
The visitors also started well after the break and twice came close in the opening minutes.
Marchisio tricked his way into the area, but shot straight at Marco Aurelia, who then came to the rescue, rushing out to crowd Iaquinta and block his shot after the Italy forward had beaten the offside trap.
It was an entertaining game with both sides pushing forward for a winner and Sculli brought a fingertip save out Buffon.
Iaquinta had the ball in the net 17 minutes from time when he headed home a Grosso free-kick, but it was ruled out for the most marginal of offside decisions.
Then, just as in the first half, Juve were made to pay soon afterwards as Crespo got between centerbacks Giorgio Chiellini and Nicola Legrottaglie to head home Mesto’s cross at the near post with a quarter of an hour to play.
Juve had the ball in the net again on 84 minutes through Chiellini, but substitute David Trezeguet was penalized for being offside in the build-up.
Moments later, however, Juventus finally made one stick from a free-kick as Genoa’s woeful defense stood and watched a Grosso chip into the box for the third time as Chiellini headed across goal for Trezeguet to nod home from barely a meter out.
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