By Goal.com News on Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Category: Goal.com News

Juve put three past Spezia without reply

That's all for now though, goodbye!

The result means that Juventus close the gap at the top to seven points, while Spezia drop to 15th.

Juventus claim an important 3-0 victory over Spezia after a much-improved second half display. The visitors started well in the first half and restricted Juventus to few chances, and they could have even taken the lead themselves when Marchizza hit the side-netting. However, Juventus began to increase the pressure towards the interval, with Ronaldo ominously hitting the post. And the pressure paid off in the second half following the introduction of Bernardeschi and Morata. The two combined for Morata to give Juventus the lead, before Chiesa's improvised finish made it two. There was still time for Ronaldo to get involved though, as the attacker finished off a late counter-attack to make it three. Spezia put in a determined display though and were denied a late consolation goal when Galabinov had a penalty saved by Szczesny.

90' + 6' FULL TIME: Juventus 3-0 Spezia 

90' + 4' Penalty to Spezia! Gyasi goes down under a heavy challenge from Demiral and although the referee initially waves play on, VAR checks the incident and awards a penalty!

90' + 3' Ronaldo has now become the first player in the top five European Leagues to score 20 goals in each of the last 12 campaigns.

90' + 2' Chance for Spezia! The visitors keep pushing forward, but they're denied again as Bastoni's close range shot is blocked away by Demiral.

90' + 1' Four minutes of stoppage time are added on.

88' Spezia are showing plenty of spirit as they chase a route back into this game, but their hopes are beginning to fade as Bastoni's corner is nodded clear.  

83' Spezia carefully build a promising attack, but Vignali's eventual cross is punched clear by Szczesny.

81' Juventus are pouring forward at every opportunity to push for a third goal, but on this occasion, Kulusevski's deft switch is cut out by Vignali.

79' Marchizza charges forward from defence again and collects a pass from Verde, before having a shot deflected over from 20 yards.  

77' Great save from Provedel! Ronaldo bends a brilliant free-kick over the wall and towards the top corner, but Provedel gets across to parry it away! It was a great effort from Ronaldo, but it just lacked the pace to beat the goalkeeper.

75' That should seal the win for Juventus now - they've been a constant threat ever since the introduction of Bernardeschi and Morata.

68' Spezia may have had seven shots, but they've yet to test Szczesny with a single shot on target.

66' Spezia look for a quick response as Erlic cracks off a shot from 30 yards that sails high and wide.

64' Well, Juventus will be delighted to have the lead. It's been a tough 60 minutes for the hosts but they'll be confident about securing the points now.

61' VAR checks the decision to rule out the goal, with Juventus insistent that Bernardeschi was actually onside during the build-up. After a brief delay, the goal is given!

61' Morata has a goal ruled out! The striker instantly sweeps in a cross from Bernardeschi, but the linesman has his flag raised for offside!

60' That was by far and away the chance of the game for Ronaldo there and he'll be hugely disappointed not to have taken advantage.

58' Huge chance for Ronaldo! Kulusevski teases Terzi before whipping in the perfect cross for Ronaldo to tap in, but the attacker misjudges the flight of the ball and it flicks off his knee and away to safety!  

55' Despite looking a little tired today, Juventus have managed seven shots from inside the box. They'll be hoping to find a winner if they can maintain that rate.

53' Kulusevski angles a precise cross into Ronaldo, but the attacker heads it well wide from 10 yards.

51' Juventus work a clever short routine from a free-kick, but Ronaldo is caught offside at the final moment.

50' The hosts have started this half with much more intent as Chiesa flashes a dangerous cross just over Ronaldo and away for a throw-in.

48' Early chance in the half for Juventus! Vignali hits a weak back pass towards Provedel, and McKennie cuts it out and knocks it around the goalkeeper, only for Terzi to get back and prevent any attacker from latching onto it!

46' Juventus get the second half underway.

Kulusevski has been the brightest option in attack for the hosts, but they'll need the rest to raise their game if they're to put Spezia under serious pressure.   

It's 0-0 at half time after an impressive display from Spezia. The away side have been energetic and adventurous throughout and they could have taken the lead early on when Marchizza rippled the side-netting. After that, chances were harder to come by, but the visitors continued to frustrate Juventus. Nevertheless, they did tire late on in the half and were fortunate when a carefully placed Ronaldo shot came back off the post. If the away side can maintain this energy in the second half they'll be well placed to shock Juventus though.

45' + 1' HALF TIME: Juventus 0-0 Spezia

45' Juventus continue to apply pressure before the break, as Kulusevski gets to the byline before drilling it across goal where Terzi is on hand to hack clear.  

44' Kulusevski robs Erlic but Terzi manages to get across and prevent the attack from developing. 

42' Ronaldo hits the post! Kulusevski slaloms towards the edge of the box, before laying it off to Ronaldo who cuts inside and places a right-footed shot across Provedel and against the foot of the far post!

40' Erlic slips and allows Ronaldo to surge towards the edge of the box, where the attacker lays it off to Kulusevski who cuts inside before having his shot blocked away by the recovering run of Erlic.

38' The corner's worked shot to Chiesa, but his powerful low cross is gathered by Provedel.

36' Rabiot picks out Chiesa inside the box with a delightful pass, but Marchizza manages to poke it away for a corner.

34' Demiral heads a free-kick out to Sena who scuffs a 20-yard volley away for a goal kick.

32' The resulting corner comes to nothing for the visitors.

31' Maggiore lets fly from just outside the box and it deflects off Demiral before swinging narrowly over the bar.  

29' Big intervention from Provedel! Alex Sandro picks out the run from Kulusevski and initially it looks as though the striker is clean through! However, Provedel races off his line and gets there just in time to poke it away, before the Spezia defence crowds out Ronaldo to prevent a clean shot on the rebound!

27' Chiesa clips in a deep free-kick for the hosts but it evades everyone and Spezia regroup with a goal kick.

25' Farias and Nzola play a smart one-two on the edge of the box, allowing the former to curl a shot that deflects off Alex Sandro and away for a corner that amounts to nothing.

23' Chiesa's resulting set-piece finds its way to McKennie, but the midfielder can't bring it under control and Spezia clear.

22' Ronaldo darts ominously into the box, but his cross is headed clear by Marchizza at the back post.

19' Spezia move the ball around intently inside the Juventus half, but they can't quite find an opening and they're eventually forced all the way back to Provedel in goal.

17' Another Juventus move stalls as Marchizza energetically picks off Bentancur's diagonal pass.

15' Chiesa drills a low effort across goal from 20 yards that flashes a few yards wide of the far post. 

13' Spezia have made a promising start; they've hassled Juventus high up the pitch and it's resulted in an exciting, open beginning to this game. 

11' Chiesa has it in the net after finishing a one-on-one, but he's called back for a clear offside.

10' Kulusevski cuts inside and thumps a shot straight into Erlic from 12 yards.

8' Chance for Spezia! The away side pour forward on the counter and Gyasi angles a clever switch to Farias, who slips Marchizza in behind where the defender fizzes a powerful effort into the side netting from a tight angle!

6' Getting a result away from home is going to be a difficult mission for Spezia today. Juventus have won their last five Serie A home matches, scoring at least two goals in each of them (14 total in the process) and keeping a clean sheet in the most recent three.

4' Spezia win a corner after a determined burst from Maggiore into the box, but Demiral heads it clear at the near post.   

2' The away side settle into the game with a long spell of harmless possession inside their own half.

1' Spezia get the first half underway.

The players are emerging from the tunnel and kick off is just seconds away!

Ronaldo has scored in nine of his 10 Serie A meetings against promoted sides (13 total goals) – only against Parma in his first such match (September 2018) has he failed to find the net.

Spezia, meanwhile, make four changes: Aguedelo, Ismajli, Bastoni and Riccardo Saponara all drop out.

Juventus make two changes to the side that drew with Verona last time out: McKennie comes in for Bernardeschi and Danilo replaces Ramsey.

SUBS: Daniele Verde, Kevin Agudelo, Ardian Ismajli, Roberto Piccoli, Jeroen Zoet, Andrej Galabinov, Gennaro Acampora, Lucien Agoume, Matteo Ricci, Julian Chabot, Simone Bastoni, Salvador Ferrer.

SPEZIA (4-3-3): Ivan Provedel; Luca Vignali, Claudio Terzi, Martin Erlic, Riccardo Marchizza; Nahuel Estevez, Leo Sena, Giulio Maggiore; Emmanuel Gyasi, M’Bala Nzola, Diego Farias.

SUBS: Aaron Ramsey, Gianluigi Buffon, Radu Dragusin, Alessandro Di Pardo, Nicolo Fagioli, Matthijs de Ligt, Carlo Pinsoglio, Federico Bernardeschi, Daouda Peeters, Marley, Alvaro Morata.

JUVENTUS (4-4-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Danilo, Merih Demiral, Alex Sandro, Gianluca Frabotta; Federico Chiesa, Rodrigo Bentancur, Adrien Rabiot, Weston McKennie; Dejan Kulusevski, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Spezia, meanwhile, are in inconsistent form having lost three and won two in their last six matches. They do sit comfortably above the relegation zone in 14th spot though, and they’ll be hoping to climb further away from danger today.

Hello and welcome to live commentary of this Serie A fixture between Juventus and Spezia. The hosts enter this one 10 points behind leaders Inter in the table and they’ll be desperate to win this game in hand and close the gap.   

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