Serie A: Juve cage Atalanta in front of teeming fans
Samuel Iling-Junior marked his first Serie A start with a goal as Juventus went second in the table with a 2-0 win at Atalanta.
The English teenager fired home the opener before Dusan Vlahovic made the points safe in stoppage time, lifting the Bianconeri above Inter and Lazio in the race for Champions League qualification.
Massimiliano Allegri’s side made it back-to-back Serie A victories despite spending long periods under pressure at Gewiss Stadium, with Atalanta registering 24 shots with no reward and twice hitting the woodwork.
The hosts thus missed their opportunity to close the gap on the top four, to which they remain five points adrift.
Atalanta almost gifted Juventus the lead in the 22nd minute as Angel Di Maria pounced on Teun Koopmeiners’ loose pass before shooting wide of the far post, while Arkadiusz Milik sent a header off target.
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Juventus survived a couple of huge scares before the break. Giorgio Scalvini’s header hit the post from Koopmeiners’ corner, before Mario Pasalic fired over from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time.
But the visitors broke the deadlock 11 minutes after the restart. Iling-Junior stole possession and fed Adrien Rabiot, before reacting quickest to fire into the roof of the net after the midfielder’s cross ricocheted into his path.
Atalanta looked to respond with substitute Luis Muriel shooting wide from distance, while Wojciech Szczesny beat away Koopmeiners’ fierce free-kick and Davide Zappacosta stuck the foot of the post from the edge of the area.
After keeping their opponents at bay, Juve sealed the points in the dying moments. Federico Chiesa raced away on the counter before feeding Vlahovic, who whipped a wonderful 20-yard strike into the top-right corner.
What does it mean? Atalanta made to rue missed chances
Atalanta were the form team in Serie A ahead of Sunday’s game, collecting a league-high 16 points from the last seven matchdays while also winning each of the last three.
But the hosts were unable to convert the many opportunities they created, and they were punished as Juventus recorded only their second win over a top-seven opponent in their last seven attempts.
With the Bianconeri putting eight points between themselves and La Dea, the result could prove decisive in the battle for a top-four finish.
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England youth international Iling-Junior became the sixth player born since 2001 to start a Serie A game for Juventus this season, a tally only bettered by Verona (nine).
He certainly made the most of his opportunity, becoming just the third English player to score for the Bianconeri in the Italian top flight after David Platt (1992-93) and William John Jordan (1948-49).
Vlahovic reaches double figures
Vlahovic enjoys playing against Atalanta, with La Dea one of only two sides he has netted multiple braces against in Serie A (also Salernitana).
Although he started on the bench, the Serbia international maintained his impressive record against Atalanta upon entering the action, sealing the points with a magnificent strike on the counter for his 10th league goal of the campaign.