Rome (AFP) – Juventus failed to find a way to score in their visit to Empoli (0-0), this Saturday in the 4th round of Serie A, but despite this the Turin team is provisionally the leader, while AC Milan finally achieved its first victory with a 4-0 over the bottom club Unione Venezia.
First modified: 09/14/2024 – 21:23Last modified: 09/14/2024 – 23:20
3 min
After two consecutive victories in the first two rounds, Juventus had stopped just before the international break, drawing 0-0 against Roma, and in the resumption of the tournament they had the same result.
With 8 points, the team led by the Italian-Brazilian Thiago Motta is in first place but will probably not maintain that position at the end of the weekend.
Inter Milan (2nd, 7 points) will visit Monza (16th) on Sunday and the other two teams that arrived with 7 points at that round, Torino (3rd) and Udinese (4th), will also be chasing the top spot with their respective matches on Sunday against Lecce (13th) and on Monday against Parma (9th).
At the Carlo Castellani stadium in Empoli, Juventus were the better side and had the two best chances of the match, through Federico Gatti (36th minute) and Serbian Dusan Vlahovic (54). The Tuscan team made the most of their defensive order and even in the final stoppage time, with a long-range shot from Moroccan Youssef Maleh (90+1), they could have secured victory.
“It’s not the result we wanted, but the team played a good game. The positive point is that we didn’t concede a goal, but we had few chances,” Motta said in statements to the DAZN platform.
This new draw comes for Juventus on the eve of their return to the Champions League after a year of absence. They will face Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
Empoli, meanwhile, remain unbeaten this season and have six points, after one win and three draws. This means they are seventh in the table.
A victory against the crisis
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Frenchman Theo Hernandez celebrates his goal in Milan’s victory over Unione Venezia in Serie A. In Milan, September 14, 2024 © Gabriel BOUYS / AFP
AC Milan had only managed to pick up two points in the first three games. The league break gave them a breath of fresh air and on Saturday, the Rossoneri, now eighth with five points, put the crisis at rest with goals at San Siro, with a 4-0 win over a Unione Venezia side that was much inferior.
All four of Milan’s goals came within the first half hour of play, something the team had not achieved in the league since 1958.
Milan took the lead first with two French goals, from Theo Hernández (2) and Youssouf Fofana (16), and then with two penalties, scored by the Croatian Christian Pulisic (25) and the British Tammy Abraham (29).
The second half was a mere formality and Paulo Fonseca’s team slowed down, already thinking ahead to the start of the Champions League against Liverpool.
“We’ve finally started our season, now we have to continue with this momentum,” Pulisic said.
Bologna still without a win
In the first match of the day, Bologna (15th), the big surprise of the last 2023-2024 season, continued without a win in the current Serie A and suffered greatly to draw with a goal in the final stoppage time (2-2) in their visit to newly promoted Como (19th), coached by the Spaniard Cesc Fabregas.
Four days before the Champions League kick-off, with a match against Ukrainian side Shakhtar on Wednesday, Bologna is full of doubts: it has only managed three points (three draws, one defeat) so far in the championship and is provisionally fourteenth.
The team now coached by Vincenzo Italiano can even feel lucky because it was losing 2-0 until the final stretch.
An own goal by Nicolo Casale in the 5th minute put Como ahead and Patrick Cutrone extended the lead in the 53rd.
The 19-year-old Argentinian Santiago Castro got Bologna back into the game by scoring in the 76th minute and the goal that made it 2-2 came in the 90+1 minute, with a superb shot that went into the top corner by the British Samuel Iling-Junior.
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- What were the key takeaways from Juventus’s draw against Empoli in Serie A?
Rome’s Serie A Roundup: Juventus Stumbles, AC Milan Finds Victory
Date: September 14, 2024
In the midst of the fourth round of Serie A, Italian football witnessed a mix of surprise and relief as Juventus failed to secure a win against Empoli, while AC Milan finally tasted victory after a tumultuous start to the season.
Juventus Held to a Draw
The Turin-based giants, Juventus, traveled to Empoli’s Carlo Castellani stadium, seeking to maintain their stronghold on the top spot. However, despite their dominance, they were unable to find the back of the net, ending the match in a 0-0 stalemate. With eight points, Juventus provisionally occupy the top spot, but their position is precarious, as Inter Milan, Torino, and Udinese are hot on their heels, each with seven points.
Coach Thiago Motta’s team created the most scoring opportunities, with Federico Gatti and Dusan Vlahovic coming close to breaking the deadlock. However, Empoli’s resolute defense and Youssef Maleh’s long-range shot in stoppage time ensured the match ended in a draw.
Motta reflected on the match, saying, “It’s not the result we wanted, but the team played a good game. The positive point is that we didn’t concede a goal, but we had few chances.”
This draw comes at an inopportune time for Juventus, as they prepare to return to the Champions League after a year-long absence. They will face Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday, a match that will test their mettle.
AC Milan Finds Respite
AC Milan, on the other hand, finally found solace in their 4-0 thrashing of bottom club Unione Venezia. The Rossoneri, now eighth with five points, had been struggling to find their footing, but the international break seemed to have rejuvenated them.
Four goals in the first half hour, courtesy of Theo Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Christian Pulisic, and Tammy Abraham, ensured Milan’s dominance. The match was all but over by halftime, as Paulo Fonseca’s team cruised to their first victory of the season.
Pulisic expressed his relief, saying, “We’ve finally started our season, now we have to continue with this momentum.” Milan will look to build on this win as they prepare to face Liverpool in the Champions League.
Bologna’s Struggles Continue
In the day’s opening match, Bologna faced newly promoted Como, under the guidance of coach Cesc Fabregas. Despite their best efforts, Bologna was only able to salvage a 2-2 draw, courtesy of a last-gasp goal in stoppage time.
The result leaves Bologna without a win in the current Serie A season, with only three points to their name. With a crucial Champions League clash against Shakhtar on the horizon, Bologna’s fans will be nervously watching their team’s progress.
As the fourth round of Serie A comes to a close, teams will be eager to regroup and refocus ahead of the next set of fixtures. Will Juventus maintain their top spot, or will Inter Milan and others close the gap? Can AC Milan build on their first win, and will Bologna find their footing in the Italian top flight? Only time will tell.
Keywords: Juventus, Empoli, AC Milan, Unione Venezia, Serie A, Thiago Motta, Theo Hernandez, Youssouf Fofana, Christian Pulisic, Tammy Abraham, Paulo Fonseca, Bologna, Como, Cesc Fabregas, Champions League.
What were the key moments in Juventus’ 0-0 draw against Empoli?
Serie A Roundup: Juventus Held to a Draw, AC Milan Secures First Win
In the fourth round of the Italian Serie A, Juventus failed to find the back of the net in their visit to Empoli, resulting in a 0-0 draw. Despite this, the Turin team provisionally sits atop the league table with 8 points. Meanwhile, AC Milan finally achieved its first victory of the season with a resounding 4-0 win over bottom-placed Unione Venezia.
Juventus’ Stalemate in Empoli
After two consecutive victories in the first two rounds, Juventus had stalled just before the international break, drawing 0-0 against Roma. In their resumption of the tournament, they had the same result, failing to capitalize on their chances against Empoli. The team led by Italian-Brazilian coach Thiago Motta had the two best opportunities of the match, through Federico Gatti (36th minute) and Serbian Dusan Vlahovic (54th). However, Empoli’s defensive order and a late chance by Moroccan Youssef Maleh (90+1) ensured the spoils were shared.
“It’s not the result we wanted, but the team played a good game. The positive point is that we didn’t concede a goal, but we had few chances,” Motta said in statements to the DAZN platform.
This draw comes on the eve of Juventus’ return to the Champions League after a year of absence, as they prepare to face Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. Empoli, meanwhile, remain unbeaten this season and have six points, after one win and three draws, placing them seventh in the table.
AC Milan’s Crisis-Easing Victory
AC Milan had only managed to pick up two points in the first three games, but the league break gave them a much-needed breath of fresh air. On Saturday, the Rossoneri put the crisis at rest with goals galore at San Siro, thrashing Unione Venezia 4-0. The win propels them to eighth place with five points.
All four of Milan’s goals came within the first half hour of play, a feat the team had not achieved in the league since 1958. Frenchman Theo Hernández (2) and Youssouf Fofana (16) opened the scoring, followed by two penalties, converted by Croatian Christian Pulisic (25) and British Tammy Abraham (29).
“We’ve finally started our season, now we have to continue with this momentum,” Pulisic said.
Bologna Still Without a Win
In the first match of the day, Bologna (15th) failed to break their winless streak, held to a 1-1 draw by Spezia. The result
