Juventus Clinches 2-0 Victory Over Empoli in Serie A

 Juventus Clinches 2-0 Victory Over Empoli in Serie A

Juventus Clinches 2-0 Victory Over Empoli in Serie A(Image-Getty)

Juventus secured a 2-0 victory against Empoli in Serie A on Sunday, with goals from Danilo and Federico Chiesa. However, the visitors missed several other opportunities, had two goals disallowed, and even missed a penalty.

This win maintains Juventus's unbeaten start to the season, with seven points earned from their opening three matches. They currently sit two points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan and AC Milan.

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri commented on the match, saying, "It was a good performance against an Empoli side that is not easy to play against. We allowed practically nothing at the back, but need to be calmer in the final third or with the final ball, as we were a bit too frenetic."

Danilo initially thought he had given Juventus an early lead with a close-range header following a corner, but the goal was disallowed due to a collision with Empoli's keeper, Etrit Berisha, just before the strike.

However, Danilo didn't have to wait long for a legitimate goal. He broke the deadlock after 24 minutes, elegantly sweeping the ball into the net during a scramble following a corner.

Around the half-hour mark, Empoli had a penalty opportunity, but Dusan Vlahovic missed the spot-kick after Youssef Maleh fouled Federico Gatti. Juventus continued to dominate in the second half, with Chiesa coming close to scoring, narrowly missing the far post with his attempt.

Juventus appeared to have a second goal when Paul Pogba netted an elegant volley in the 66th minute, but the effort was ruled out as Vlahovic, who had chested the ball down to him, was in an offside position.

Nonetheless, Juventus managed to extend their lead when Arkadiusz Milik's pass sent Chiesa on a clear path to the goal. Chiesa skillfully evaded Berisha's challenge and slotted the ball into the net in the 82nd minute to secure the victory.

Juventus had a chance to score a third goal in stoppage time when Milik's header struck the woodwork, and shortly after, Moise Kean hit the post.

After the match, Pogba appeared to be in discomfort and was seen touching the back of his thigh. Allegri expressed uncertainty about Pogba's condition, stating, "We don’t know anything yet; he felt a twinge at the back, so we’ll see what the tests say." Despite the injury concern, Allegri praised Pogba for his performance.

Regarding Juventus's aspirations for the season, Allegri denied that they were favorites for the league title, acknowledging the strength of other teams like Inter, Napoli, and Milan. He emphasized the need to aim for a top-four finish.