Image from Getty Images

Aveek Chaudhuri, January 9, 2022

JUVENTUS BEATS ROMA 4-3, GAME OF THE SEASON? Heading into 70 minutes, it seemed Roma had the game wrapped up with a 3-1 lead. And then out of nowhere, 3 goals in 7 minutes puts Juventus in front. Then to add to the drama, A LATE PENALTY was given to Roma. In the 83’ minute, Lorenzo Pellegrini comes up to put Roma level, only to have it SAVED by Szczęsny. Simply a game that had everything.

Roma dominated the game in statistical terms. They had 53% possession compared to Juventus’s 47%. And shots-wise, Roma had 19 in total with a solid 7 on target while Juve had 14 in total with 5 on target. This initial superior performance by Roma helped them gain that 3-1 lead til near the end of the game. The goals came from Tammy Abraham (11’), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (48’), and Lorenzo Pellegrini (53’).

Juventus had one goal by Paulo Dybala in the 18’ minute before the turn around in the 70’ minute. And that’s when the tide turned. In quick succession, goals from Manuel Locatelli (70’), Dejan Kulusevski (72’), and Mattia De Sciglio (77’) put the Old Lady in front. Right afterward, Matthijs de Ligt gave away a penalty which earned him his second yellow and a send-off. Pellegrini stepped up to take the penalty but ultimately, Szczęsny stood firm and saved the penalty to seal Juventus’s win.

This win sees Juventus go just 3 points behind fourth-place Atalanta. In what’s been their worst season in a decade, there have been some positives. The young core is starting to perform more consistently, with the likes of Chiesa and Locatelli. Meanwhile, the veteran Dybala seems to have returned to form a bit - being marred by injury over the last few years. Although the title seems out of the question now, a top-four finish is definitely in Juventus’s grasps.

As for Roma, they have had a very direct season - either fully winning or losing. They sit 7th right now and their remaining schedule still contains Lazio, Napoli, and Inter Milan. Although the team is not world-class, Jose Mourinho’s men have shown positives such as in the performances of Tammy Abraham who has 14 goals in all competitions this year. So although this isn’t their best season, there are certainly some positives for the Giallorossi.