Juventus mounted a dramatic late comeback to salvage a 2-2 draw against Lazio, with Pierre Kalulu scoring deep into stoppage time.
Juventus staged a thrilling recovery at the Allianz Stadium, snatching a dramatic 2-2 draw against Lazio. Pierre Kalulu emerged as the hero, striking in the dying seconds to complete a stunning comeback for the Bianconeri.
The home side entered the match sitting fourth in Serie A, eager to solidify their Champions League ambitions. Lazio, placed eighth, sought a crucial away victory to boost their European qualification hopes. Recent form suggested a tight contest between two determined sides.
The match began with Juventus showing attacking intent. A promising moment for the hosts in the 26th minute saw Teun Koopmeiners find the net, only for VAR to disallow the goal for offside. Lazio’s defence stood firm under pressure, absorbing early attacks.
Lazio’s resolve paid off just before the break. Pedro broke the deadlock in the 45th minute, guiding home a clinical finish after a clever assist from Daniel Maldini. This late strike sent the visitors into half-time with a valuable lead.
Juventus faced an uphill battle at the interval, needing a significant shift in performance to turn the tide. Lazio, meanwhile, aimed to maintain their defensive shape and capitalize on counter-attacks after the restart.
Lazio immediately doubled their advantage after the restart. Gustav Isaksen struck just two minutes into the second half, in the 47th minute. He extended the visitors' lead to a daunting 2-0.
Juventus refused to surrender. Weston McKennie pulled one back for the hosts in the 59th minute. He latched onto an Andrea Cambiaso pass to reduce the shortfall. The goal ignited the Allianz Stadium crowd.
The Bianconeri pressed relentlessly in the closing stages. Several substitutions injected fresh attacking impetus. Lazio defended valiantly, with Alessio Romagnoli receiving a yellow card in the 81st minute for a late challenge.
Juventus dominated possession with 63% and unleashed a remarkable 33 total shots, 8 of which tested the goalkeeper. Their expected goals (xG) stood at 2.63, highlighting their offensive output. Lazio, in contrast, managed only 9 shots and an xG of 1.06, relying on clinical finishing and solid goalkeeping, with 6 saves.
The home side's persistence paid off in the most dramatic fashion. Deep into stoppage time, in the 90th minute plus six, Pierre Kalulu found the equalizer. His powerful strike, assisted by substitute Jérémie Boga, sent the Juventus faithful into raptures.
This dramatic 2-2 draw sees Juventus remain fourth in Serie A, albeit dropping crucial points in their pursuit of the top spots. Lazio will rue letting a two-goal lead slip but take a valuable point from a tough away fixture.
