The third-from-last recreation of the 2025-26 season was vital for each Juventus and Lecce.
Juve managed their very own future for Champions League qualification, needing to win all three of their remaining matches to ensure a spot at Europe’s large desk. Any slip-up, although, may see Roma, , or each get forward of them within the league desk. Lecce began the day 4 factors forward of for the final place of security in Serie A, and any further factors may very well be large in shopping for themselves security.
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After throwing away factors final week in opposition to an already-relegated facet, Juve merely couldn’t afford to drop any extra. They got here out of the blocks like they knew it. They opened the scoring in 12 seconds, a brand new membership file for a Serie A recreation, and will’ve had two extra within the first six minutes. It appeared like a rout was on.
However regardless of once more controlling the sport for many of it, the Bianconeri couldn’t push the ball into the again of the web once more. Nicely, no less than not one which counted. Two objectives have been chalked off for offside within the second half, one among them considerably questionably. made a few good saves for Lecce, as did his reverse quantity within the Juventus purpose, and in the end the Previous Girl have been in a position to run out of the Stadio By way of del Mare with a essential 1-0 win and remained on the within observe for the highest 4.
Luciano Spalletti lastly received to play Dusan Vlahovic from the beginning for the primary time since late November, however Khéphren Thuram failed a late health take a look at and and remained out with harm. With Vlahovic again into the XI, Spalletti switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation. began in purpose, with , , , and Andrea Cambiaso arrayed in entrance of him. changed in midfield subsequent to , with Francisco Concieção, , and began behind Vlahovic.
Lecce have been guided by Eusebio Di Francesco, however they have been lacking a couple of gamers, together with , , , and . Falcone began in purpose behind EDF’s personal 4-2-3-1. , , , and saved the keeper firm whereas and took station within the double pivot. , , and stretched out behind . In a pleasant twist for Mom’s Day, the Lecce gamers wore their moms’ names on the backs of their jerseys.
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In case you blinked at kickoff, you could have missed the sport’s solely purpose. Your complete workforce moved ahead as one, and Yildiz instantly switched the ball out to the left. Koopmeiners received the ball tangled a bit however was nonetheless in a position to push it vast for Cambiaso. The left-back’s first-time cross got here to Vlahovic, who took it down superbly in site visitors, turned previous Gabriel, and slammed it into the roof of the web.
Formally listed at 12 seconds — I don’t know who labels these items but it surely clearly learn 11 on the scorebug when the ball hit the web, however *shrug* — it was the third-fastest purpose scored in a Serie A recreation within the final 20 years. It broke the membership file for quickest purpose in a Serie A recreation for the reason that statistic was first saved in 2004-05, beating , who had scored in 18 seconds in opposition to in November of 2012.
Lecce very almost responded instantly. Banda received down the left and overcame Kalulu’s marking by crossing the ball between his legs to Cheddira, who should’ve thought for all of the world he’d scored earlier than Di Gregorio repelled the shot with the within of his proper thigh. Juve streaked straight again down the sector and Locatelli discovered Conceição with a phenomenal cross into the appropriate channel, however he bashed it off the underside of the crossbar. Two minutes later Vlahovic had one other probability after an interchange with McKennie, however couldn’t slip a shot below Falcone.
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After a breathless six minute begin, the sport settled a bit. Kelly was fortunate that Ramadani pulled vast after a nasty cross turned the ball over, whereas on the different finish Bremer’s try to bicycle kick a flicked nook went badly awry, producing a chuckle or two. As halftime approached Vlahovic took a turnover pressured by Conceição into the field and took hit, however sailed it lower than a foot over. By the point the whistle blew for the break, Lecce should’ve been counting their fortunate stars that it wasn’t 2-0, 3-0, or much more as they headed to the locker rooms.
Vlahovic thought that he had issues wrapped up lower than three minutes after play restarted. An extended shot by Cambiaso was parried proper into the trail of the Serbia worldwide. Falcone made the double save however couldn’t handle a triple, however Vlahovic was offside on the preliminary shot, and a VAR verify took the purpose off the board.
Cheddira received into one other good place within the 56th minute however badly scuffed his shot. Three minutes later one other Lecce giveaway deep in their very own half sparked a fast assault, and this time it was Kalulu to place the ball into the again of the web. This one appeared sure to face, however referee Andrea Colombo was known as to the monitor by VAR Maurizio Mariani. The decision that got here this time was extra doubtful. Vlahovic had come again from an offside place to problem for the preliminary ball that Siebert ended up dropping. It was dominated influencing the play from an offside place — a rule clearly meant to maintain attackers from screening a goalkeeper versus annulling a complete assault due to one thing that occurred 25 yards up the sector.
Juve saved Lecce nicely contained all through a lot of the second half, however merely couldn’t get the ball into the web. Yildiz pushed a shot slightly bit vast, and Vlahovic didn’t get good contact on a cutback by Conceição. Di Francesco poured subs onto the sector, and with 13 minutes left and Konan N’Dri almost mixed to tie the sport, however the latter fired into the facet netting. 5 minutes later Di Gregorio needed to make a tough parry to disclaim a long-range drive by Pierotti.
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However that was all that Lecce may muster. They have been gifted a chief free kick on the appropriate wing in stoppage time, however Bremer headed the supply away and Coulibaly’s followup went miles vast. Falcone made one other double save proper on the finish, denying 1-on-1 after which on the rebound earlier than Colombo blew the whistle to verify three essential factors for Juventus.