Salernitana-Juve 0-3: brace from Vlahovic and Kostic

From our correspondent Marco Guidi

February 7th
– SALERNO

The direct clash, as Massimiliano Allegri had defined it in recent days, goes to Juventus. Salernitana defeated 3-0 at Arechi, thanks to two goals from a revived Vlahovic, interspersed with a goal from Kostic. A victory that restarts the Bianconeri’s march in the championship, fresh from the bad internal knockout against Monza and from the -15 in the standings inflicted by the Federal Court of Appeal, and at the same time stops the journey of the Campania players again, after the success of Lecce.

CHOICES

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Market training for Davide Nicola: only Lassana Coulibaly, among the owners, was already in Salerno last year. Three signings in January: Ochoa in goal, Troost-Ekong in defense and Nicolussi Caviglia (on loan from Juve, it’s the only change compared to the initial line-up of the match won in Lecce) in the middle of the pitch. Piatek leads the grenade attack. For his part, Max Allegri still chooses prudence, postponing the appointment from 1′ for the super trident Di Maria-Vlahovic-Chiesa. Enrico’s son ends up on the bench. Compared to the eleven seen in the last day against Monza, three changes: Alex Sandro for Gatti in defence, Locatelli in control in place of Paredes and Miretti preferred to Fagioli as midfielder. On the right wing is De Sciglio, outside the Cuadrado owners.

DUSAN IS THERE

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Before the match, a touching moment with the president of Salernitana, Danilo Iervolino, and the Chief Football Officer of Juve, Francesco Calvo, who exchange the shirt of Andrea Fortunato, a black and white full-back native of Salerno who died in 1995 from leukemia at the age of just 23 . At the Rapuano referee’s kick-off, the hosts immediately aggressive, with Nicola’s passive 4-5-1 that transforms into 4-3-3 in the possession phase, thanks to Candreva’s rapid advance from a side and Dia on the other. Juve started off more staid and a little out of turn (5 fouls at 0 after 20′), with Rabiot getting the yellow card and shortly after risking the second disciplinary action for an intervention on Bradaric. In the 25th minute, however, the game leans towards the bianconeri: colossal ingenuity by Nicolussi Caviglia, who knocks Miretti down in the area, after Di Maria’s invention of a left winger. Penalty, which Vlahovic transforms with the thrill: the ball kisses the post and ends up behind Ochoa, who had guessed the first shot on goal of the match. For the Serbian return to scoring with Juve after almost four months, thanks also to the kind concession of Di Maria, generous in leaving the penalty to his partner. A goal that galvanizes Vlahovic and busts the rev counter of Salernitana, who struggles to get back on track. In the 33rd minute, following a throw from the usual Di Maria, Dusan tries a terrific encore with his left-footed shot: out, but a technical gesture of applause. Four minutes later, escape on the left, closed with a diagonal just outside. Juve lost Miretti due to injury (left ankle sprain, inside Fagioli), but Allegri’s team is now in full control. And, paradoxically, the only wrong play in the first half by Vlahovic comes the doubling: Dusan misfires with his right, but his attempt turns into an involuntary assist for Kostic, who anticipates an imperfect exit by Ochoa and scores. The Mexican goalkeeper partially redeems himself just before the interval, blocking Locatelli in a great way on yet another divine assist from a highly inspired Di Maria.

WITHOUT HISTORY

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Nicola tries to run for cover, inserting Lovato for Vilhena and moving on to a three-man defence. But after 2′ in the second half another mistake by Nicolussi Caviglia turns into the goal that closes the game: the grenade midfielder loses the ball in his frontline, Fagioli is good at triggering Vlahovic, who doesn’t forgive with his left foot. However, Salernitana puts its pride in it and Dia almost slips Szczesny on Sambia’s cross shot from the right. Juve, however, play smoothly and have a demon-possessed duo up front: in the 8th minute Vlahovic acts as a bank for Di Maria, who kicks first with his left foot from outside and hits the crossbar to beat Ochoa. In the 15th minute another change for the hosts: Bonazzoli for Bradaric. And the new entry with his left foot from sixteen meters immediately gives Szczesny the creeps, touching the post. Allegri also draws on his bench: here are Chiesa and Cuadrado for Di Maria and Kostic. However, the match has already been on ice for a while, although opportunities are arriving left and right. One also for Chiesa in the 30th minute, on a service from his friend Vlahovic, but the shot with his right foot from a favorable position goes wide. There will be time to refine the understanding as in the time of Florence. While the last to enter Kean hits the post at the invitation of Chiesa. It is the last emotion of an evening exclusively in black and white tones.