As two giants of Italian football collided, the first half proved to be a cagey affair. Perhaps that shouldn’t have been a surprise given Juventus had scored just one of their last nine league goals before the interval, while Lazio are the only side in the division yet to concede in the opening half-hour. The Bianconeri were still able to carve out chances, with Moise Kean missing narrowly before Nicolò Fagioli forced Ivan Provedel into a smart save.
The Aquile’s rearguard was eventually broken on the stroke of HT after a moment of madness from their goalkeeper. Adrien Rabiot’s chipped ball played Kean in behind the defensive line and, while the Italian showed incredible composure to lob the onrushing Provedel and bag for a second successive game, the shot-stopper should never been so far away from his goalline or, indeed, his penalty area.
That strike was just the second Lazio have conceded on their travels in SA this season, and the first since August. Unfortunately for Maurizio Sarri, there would not be a long wait before the next goal hit the back of their net as Kean scored again, steering home the rebound after Provedel denied Filip Kostić. Arkadiusz Milik provided the icing on the cake in the 90th minute, slotting home the third after Federico Chiesa’s inch-perfect cross gave him a simple finish.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men never relinquished control of the contest as their resurgence continues. Lazio, meanwhile, lacked a cutting edge throughout, with their lack of a recognised centre-forward costing them dearly in Turin. Despite the defeat, they’ll also be in the top four throughout the mid-season hiatus.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Moise Kean (Juventus)
