Stephan Lichtsteiner got the winner against his former club, as Juventus conquered Lazio and will face Inter in the Coppa Italia semi-final.
This was a replay of last year’s Final and the Italian Super Cup, both won by Juve. The Aquile were missing Federico Marchetti, Ricardo Kishna, Santiago Gentiletti, Stefan de Vrij, Dusan Basta and Ravel Morrison, but gave Milan Bisevac his debut in defence. The Bianconeri had Andrea Barzagli, Sami Khedira, Roberto Pereyra, Patrice Evra and Mario Lemina unavailable, but kept squad rotation to a minimum.
Stephan Lichtsteiner got the winner against his former club, as Juventus conquered Lazio and will face Inter in the Coppa Italia semi-final.
This was a replay of last year’s Final and the Italian Super Cup, both won by Juve. The Aquile were missing Federico Marchetti, Ricardo Kishna, Santiago Gentiletti, Stefan de Vrij, Dusan Basta and Ravel Morrison, but gave Milan Bisevac his debut in defence. The Bianconeri had Andrea Barzagli, Sami Khedira, Roberto Pereyra, Patrice Evra and Mario Lemina unavailable, but kept squad rotation to a minimum.
Keita Balde Diao had the first real chance after 12 minutes, bursting down the left only to fire just over from a tight angle.
Paul Pogba nodded over and Simone Zaza aimed a weak effort, but Etrit Berisha flew to beat away a Pogba strike. Alvaro Morata went down far too easily under a Bisevac challenge and the referee waved away timid penalty appeals.
Juve missed a sitter after the restart, as first Berisha parried from Morata one-on-one using his legs, then on the rebound Zaza hit the side-netting of an open goal.
Pogba also nodded over the bar after Berisha mistimed his run on a free kick. Mauricio was stretchered off with a back injury.
Juventus found the breakthrough with an ex-Lazio player, as Zaza’s attempt thumped the upright and Stephan Lichtsteiner turned in the rebound. At first Berisha thought he had been able to save it, but the ball had already just about crossed the line.
Stefano Sturaro pulled wide on the counter and Zaza went round Berisha, but narrowed the angle too much and turned off target.
The game ended on an even more sour note for the hosts, as Lucas Biglia was stretchered off in the final minute with an ankle injury and left them down to 10 men.
Juve tried to add to their tally, as Paulo Dybala tested Berisha with his first touch and Mario Mandzukic also forced a save when clear on goal. Lazio went down to nine in stoppages, as Sergej Milinkovic-Savic accidentally blocked a clearance from point-blank range with his nose, and Dybala drilled inches wide.
Lazio 0-1 Juventus
Scorers: Lichtsteiner 66 (J)
Lazio: Berisha; Konko (Felipe Anderson 73), Biśevac, Mauricio (Hoedt 62), Radu; Milinkovic-Savic, Biglia, Lulic; Candreva, Klose (Matri 82), Keita
Juventus: Neto; Caceres, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Cuadrado 79), Sturaro, Marchisio, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Zaza (Dybala 90), Morata (Mandzukic 75)
Ref: Damato