March 11, (THEWILL)- Juventus’ hopes of securing a top-two finish in Serie A suffered a setback as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Atalanta at the Allianz Stadium. The result extended the Bianconeri’s dismal run to just one win in their last seven league matches, and they have not secured a head-to-head victory against Atalanta at home since 2018.
The match started slowly, with Juventus enjoying the better of the chances in a tame opening half-hour. However, the visitors took the lead against the run of play before the break. A smartly worked free-kick routine allowed Teun Koopmeiners to rifle home and end his three-game scoring drought.
In the absence of Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa was tasked with leading the Juventus attack, and he proved a constant threat after the restart. The pressure on the Atalanta goal consistently built throughout the second half, and the hosts eventually equalised through an incisive move finished by Andrea Cambiaso.
Juventus edged ahead when Weston McKennie displayed tremendous composure to chest Samuel Iling-Junior’s cross into the path of Arkadiusz Milik, who slammed home his first league goal since October. However, Atalanta reacted well and were soon back on level terms through the talismanic Koopmeiners, slotting underneath Wojciech Szczesny to set up a grandstand finish.
Neither side took a backward step in an enthralling final 10 minutes, but the necessary quality in the final third was absent as both were forced to settle for a point. Juventus remained a point behind second-place AC Milan in Serie A, while Atalanta missed the chance to climb into the top five as their winless run in the league extended to four matches.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
