Juventus 1-0 Bologna: Pogba Strike Sinks Resilient Rossoblu

Date: 19th April 2014 at 8:28pm
Written by:

Juventus beat Bologna 1-0 on a wet Saturday evening at the Juventus Stadium.

Paul Pogba scored the Bianconeri’s only goal in the 64th minute in what was a difficult game for the Old Lady against a dogged Rossoblu side.

The game’s first chance came in the fourth minute for Juventus but Pogba’s low shot was saved comfortably by the feet of Gianluca Curci.

Pogba had another good chance in the 11th minute but missed the target with his header from Andrea Pirlo’s corner.

Pirlo had two free-kicks in dangerous looking positions in the 18th and 24th minutes but neither threatened Bologna’s goal.

Curci was forced into a good save down low to his left after Giorgio Chiellini’s low drive into the area was redirected by the shin of Claudio Marchisio.

There was shout for a penalty when Fernando Llorente went down in the 33rd minute after his shirt was pulled inside the Bologna area but the Old Lady’s appeals were rather half-hearted.

The Bianconeri came close again in the 38th minute after Sebastian Giovinco drove down the the right flank but there was nobody to get on the end of the Atomic Ant’s ball across the face of goal to tap into the open goal.

The Rossoblu’s first notable shot at goal came in the 42 minute through Jonathan Cristaldo from outside the area but his strike flew high and wide.

Juventus exerted some pressure just before the half-time whistle after Giovinco won a free kick down the right flank but the visitors were able to hold out and go into the break level at 0-0.

Juventus began the second half at a higher tempo and in the 5oth minute Mauricio Isla found space in the area but Curci did well to charge down the Chilean’s shot.

Cristaldo looked energetic for Bologna in the 55th minute to run away from Andrea Barzagli but was left isolated and Gianluigi Buffon comfortably caught the subsequent cross.

Juve started to turn the screw in the 59th minute but the disciplined Felsinei defenders prevented any clear-cut chances from emerging.

Pogba opened the scoring in the 64th minute with a powerful strike into the bottom left corner from outside the area after taking one touch to create some space and the second to fire passed Curci who got a hand to the ball but couldn’t keep it out.

Isla came close to doubling Juve’s lead minutes later after cutting back onto his left foot but his curling effort was brilliantly saved by Curci.

Juventus looked dangerous in the 79th minute but Pogba fired wide when he could have played in Isla who was open to his right.

Lazaros forced Buffon into his first save in the 82nd minute but the goalkeeper dealt well with the awkward bounce of the Greek’s long shot.

Pogba almost doubled his tally in the 87th minute but shot straight at the goalkeeper.

Bologna got forward in injury time but Juve had enough bodies back to block any shots at goal.

The result sends Juventus temporarily 11 points clear at the top while Bologna stay level on points with Sassuolo.

 

Comments are closed.