Parma 1-2 Juventus
Juventus are back at the top of Serie A after a 1-2 win over a spirited Parma at the Ennio Tardini Stadium.
Mario Mandzukic put the visitors in front very early, but the hosts fought back through Gervinho before Blaise Matuidi’s second-half strike won the points.
So Max Allegri’s champions have three wins in three, and while they dominated for long periods, Roberto D’Aversa’s Parma were always in the game and had their own fair share of efforts on goal.
Highlights of the game
Parma held out for just two minutes before going behind, and it was Croatian hitman Mario Mandzukic who opened the scoring. The big striker’s header from a Juan Cuadrado cross was blocked, but he slotted the ball calmly into the bottom left-hand corner when he had another chance.
The hosts already had a mountain to climb but they set about their task, and winger Antonio Di Gaudio had a shot blocked when he was put in by Antonino Barilla. Di Gaudio had another try minutes later, but this time his effort was saved.
As the play switched to the other end, Mandzukic played in Sami Khedira and his shot, heading for the bottom corner, was handled well by the Parma stopper.
Then, on 14 minutes, Parma were inches away from an equaliser after Miralem Pjanic gave away a free kick. Up stepped Leo Stulac to hit a superb shot only to see it crash off the bar.
Juventus had comfortably dismissed Lazio last week, and this close shave prompted them to press on and try to find some daylight in Parma. Mandzukic and Cristiano Ronaldo both missed with headers. Federico Bernardeschi, who is expecting a big year in Turin, had three attempts but saw two shots blocked and a header saved.
But Parma weathered the storm, and after Stulac came close with a low drive, the hosts were level on 33 minutes when Roberto Inglese crossed for Gervinho. The Ivorian striker had a simple task to fire home from close range to prompt pandemonium in the Ennio Tardini Stadium.
The ex-Roma player’s return to Italy from the Chinese League could mean good news for Parma, but not so good on this occasion for the Bianconeri!
Ronaldo and Bernardeschi both tried to restore the lead before the break but to no avail. Our pre-match Serie A 2018 betting odds offered 2.81 on a half-time stalemate, and while the Bianconeri had dominated, Parma had good value.
As expected, the Old Lady came out all guns blazing in the second half with Ronaldo and Khedira both smashing shots over in the opening exchanges. And it wasn’t long before Juve broke the Parma resistance again. Mandzukic fed Blaise Matuidi, and the French midfielder did brilliantly to smash the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Juventus continued to threaten, again looking to extend the lead, and they came close on 73 minutes when Douglas Costa collected the ball outside the box and fired low and hard against the left post. And three minutes later, Juve were reminded they were in a game when Di Gaudio shot just wide for the hosts. If that effort had gone in, it would have made big Serie A 2018 news for sure.
The busy Stulac continued to push Parma forward in search of an equaliser, but Juve held out in relative comfort as the game became increasingly stop-start.
Key statistics
We said this was a game of 11 versus 11, but the SBOBET odds at 1.18 pointed to an easy Juve win. In the event, it was anything but.
The visitors had 67 per cent possession in the first half but Parma were well in the game, having eight shots on goal to Juve’s 14 in an all-action 45 minutes. There was more of the same in the second half, and the shot count eventually ended up at 24 to 11.
Juventus have now won five of the last six meetings between these two teams and lead the head-to-heads by 21 to nine.
What’s next?
Next up, Juventus host Sassuolo before opening their Champions League campaign with a serious test away to Valencia. The Mestalla Stadium has a crowd that can be the twelfth man if the mood takes them.
Parma have another tough challenge coming up next, away to Inter Milan, before entertaining Cagliari a week later. This is the first time the Crociati have been in Serie A since 2015 and, on this evidence; they are determined to make the most of it.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
