Juventus delivered a stunning performance against Cagliari, securing a decisive 4-0 victory in the Coppa Italia and booking their place in the quarter-finals against Empoli. The match showcased exceptional goals from Dusan Vlahovic, Teun Koopmeiners, Francisco Conceicao, and Nico Gonzalez, highlighting the team’s attacking prowess.
The two teams had previously drawn 1-1 in their league encounter on October 6, and Juventus entered this match looking to shake off a streak of four consecutive draws in Serie A. Following a disappointing 2-2 result against bottom-placed Venezia, the Bianconeri were eager to regain their form. With several key players sidelined, including Douglas Luiz and Arkadiusz Milik, coach Thiago Motta made unexpected adjustments, resting defenders and giving new roles to Manuel Locatelli and Weston McKennie.
Cagliari, aiming to escape the relegation zone, started the match with determination. They nearly took the lead within the first minute when Nadir Zortea set up Gianluca Lapadula for a close-range shot, but Michele Di Gregorio made a crucial save.
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Juventus began to assert themselves as Vlahovic missed a chance after breaking through the offside trap. Kenan Yildiz also came close with an acrobatic volley that was blocked. Francisco Conceicao’s left-footed strike narrowly missed the target before another powerful attempt was deflected by Cagliari’s goalkeeper Simone Scuffet.
The breakthrough came when Yildiz found Vlahovic with a clever pass. The striker skillfully turned and fired a shot through Mateusz Wieteska’s legs into the net. Shortly after halftime, Koopmeiners doubled the lead with a spectacular free kick from 30 yards that curled into the top corner.
Vlahovic had another goal disallowed for offside before Conceicao forced another save from Scuffet. Despite being denied twice, Vlahovic continued to press forward but missed an opportunity when he hit the side-netting after rounding Scuffet.
Finally, after several attempts, Conceicao scored by cutting inside and curling a shot into the far corner. Nico Gonzalez capped off the scoring with an extraordinary goal, lobbing Scuffet from just outside the area after sprinting from his own half.
Nico González with a piece of GENIUS! 😱
An absolutely delicious chip from outside the box to make it 4-0 to Juventus ⚫⚪ pic.twitter.com/GmtaQM0T1G
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) December 17, 2024
Juventus maintained their clean sheet thanks to Di Gregorio’s solid performance, ensuring they advanced confidently to face Empoli in the next round of the Coppa Italia.
Goals: Vlahovic 44 (J), Koopmeiners 53 (J), Conceicao 80 (J), Nico Gonzalez 89 (J)
Juventus (4-2-3-1): Di Gregorio; Savona, Locatelli, Kalulu, McKennie; Koopmeiners (58′ Gatti), Thuram; Conceicao (81′ Adzic), Yildiz (66′ Nico Gonzalez), Mbangula; Vlahovic (81′ Weah)
Cagliari (4-4-1-1): Scuffet; Zappa (69′ Azzi), Palomino, Wieteska, Augello; Zortea, Marin (58′ Felici), Prati, Deiola (82′ Adopo); Gaetano (68′ Piccoli); Lapadula (68′ Pavoletti).