Advertisement

Late Mbangula goal salvages Juve's unbeaten league record in Bologna draw

cricket07 December 2024 19:40| © Reuters
Share

Juventus came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Bologna on Saturday with Samuel Mbangula's added-time goal maintaining their unbeaten record in Serie A this season with their ninth draw of the campaign.

Juve remain sixth on 27 points from 15 games, seven points off leaders Atalanta, while Bologna are still eighth but have moved level on 22 points with AC Milan after 14 matches.

Dan Ndoye gave Bologna a deserved lead on the half-hour mark and they doubled their advantage seven minutes after the break through Tommaso Pobega.

Teun Koopmeiners pulled one back for Juventus 10 minutes later and, with time running out, Mbangula struck from outside the area to snatch a last-gasp draw for the hosts.

Juventus, the only undefeated side in Serie A, struggled to find any rhythm to their game in the opening half and it was Bologna who posed the attacking threat.

Ndoye had an early shot blocked by Andrea Cambiaso, which forced the Juve defender off through injury, and minutes later the Bologna man hit the upright with another effort.

Juventus failed to heed those early warning signs and the visitors finally found the breakthrough.

Emil Holm spotted Ndoye making a run and played a through ball which the Bologna forward smashed first time into the roof of the net.

Dusan Vlahovic, making a return to the Juve side after missing the last two league games through injury, had the hosts' best chance just before the break but Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski saved his close-range effort.

Juventus manager Thiago Motta, taking on his former club, cut a nervous figure on the sidelines and was shown a red card early in the second half for his protests before Bologna found a second goal.

Santiago Castro played a clever backheel pass through the legs of defender Federico Gatti which left Pobega through one-on-one with the keeper and the Bologna midfielder coolly lifted the ball over Mattia Perin.

Juve got back into the game when Danilo played the ball from close to the byline into the centre of the area and the unmarked Koopmeiners scored his first of the season with a powerful shot.

It looked like Juventus would finally suffer defeat but when Vlahovic played the ball back outside the box, Mbangula took a touch before curling a superb strike into the far top corner for his side's fourth consecutive draw in all competitions.

Advertisement