Champions of last year, Juventus took an early victory to the quarter-final round of Coppa Italia on Tuesday after trashing Cagliari 4-0. They might be behind the log after some series of draws in the league series but are, in their own display in the cup tie, as quality-driven as their chase for the title this season goes.
Dusan Vlahovic & Teun Koopmeiners Shine
The Bianconeri broke the deadlock just before halftime when Dusan Vlahovic scored in the 44th minute. The man who had rescued a point for his team with a last-minute equalizer against Venezia on Saturday again showed his fine form to be at the right end of things. Teun Koopmeiners doubled their lead early in the second half with a well-executed free-kick.
Nicolas Gonzalez Makes an Impact
Substitute Nicolas Gonzalez played a pivotal role in the final stages of the match. In the 80th minute, he provided an assist to Francisco Conceicao for Juve’s third goal. Gonzalez then got on the scoresheet himself in the 89th minute, sealing the 4-0 victory.
A Strong Comeback After League Frustrations
Juve manager Thiago Motta must be delighted with the performance, going by the fact that this was after his side was held to a frustrating draw against relegation-threatened Cagliari in Serie A back in October. Today’s clinical display in Coppa Italia was a reminder of the quality Juventus has, something that has been lacking in some league matches.
Quarter-Finals Ahead
Juventus will tackle the quarter-final against Italian league side Empoli at their place in February where it has already managed to gain points from them some times during the league series of the season. Once more, it will serve the Motta’s outfit a chance to correct any earlier wrongs in similar games.
Dominance In Coppa Italia
Juventus’ 4-0 win was their victory over the Coppa, an event they have dominated more or less in history. They have been able to advance from the Round of 16 for the 17th time in succession since their entry into the single-leg format of competition that started during the season 2008-09. The Bianconeri remain the only team, in fact, to succeed at this level every other season since the single leg came into being.
