VERONA: Juventus continued their flying start under new manager Thiago Motta with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Monday as a Dusan Vlahovic double and a goal by Nicolo Savona sent them to the top of the table.

Juventus, who started their campaign with a 3-0 win over promoted Como last week, are the only side who kept their points tally at a maximum over the opening two match days of the Italian top flight and lead the standings with six points.

They were winless in their previous eight away games in Serie A.

Motta has taken over as head coach following Massimiliano Allegri’s sacking after his outburst in the aftermath of their Italian Cup final win in May.

Juve slipped away last season to come third in Serie A, although that was their highest finish in four years.

“You can see the group’s attitude from the way they press the opponent. They take risks, but if you recover the ball it’s a big advantage,” Motta told DAZN.

“Congratulations to Dusan [Vlahovic], but also to all the others who applied good pressure allowing us to score. This phase of the game is important, we need everyone. Today our forwards worked hard and well, having this balance is very important because it leads us to play games like tonight’s.”

Vlahovic put Juve in front in the 28th minute with a low shot from around the penalty spot for his first league goal since April 19.

Manuel Locatelli won the ball on the left flank before Kenan Yildiz teed up Vlahovic with a low pass into the box and the Serbian striker struck past Verona keeper Lorenzo Montipo into a bottom corner.

Defender Savona doubled the lead for the visitors before the break, scoring with a header inside a far post.

Samuel Mbangula set up Savona with a brilliant lofted pass across the face of the goal and the 21-year-old, coming from Juventus’ reserves team, scored on his first start for the first team.

Vlahovic then made it 3-0 from the spot following halftime, after Juve were awarded a penalty for Jackson Tchatchoua’s foul on winger Samuel Mbangula.

“He is certainly working hard on our aggression and our attitude,” Vlahovic told DAZN of new boss Motta. “We all agree that our attitude is the key to everything, if we have the right mentality, it all works better. We play for each other, but also there are tactical changes that we know about.”

Juventus have won both of their opening two Serie A games of a season for the first time since 2019-20.

Since their return to the top-flight in 2007-08, only once have they previously won their opening two Serie A matches without conceding, doing so in 2014-15.

Verona, who looked nothing like the team who stunned Napoli 3-0 at home last week, could have pulled a goal back seven minutes from time through Casper Tengstedt.

The Danish forward produced the only shot on target for the hosts but his effort from point-blank range was saved by Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.

Earlier, Como came from behind to secure their first Serie A point since 2003 thanks to former AC Milan forward Patrick Cutrone’s second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Cagliari.

“I am happy, because this is a difficult place to play, but at the same time we need to improve and as soon as possible get used to the Serie A tempo,” said Como coach Cesc Fabregas.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2024