Juventus, the Serie A powerhouse, conceded its first goal of the season in a thrilling 1-1 draw against Cagliari on Sunday. The result prevented Juventus from reclaiming second place in the league standings, leaving them in third with 13 points, one behind Inter Milan and two behind league leaders Napoli. Cagliari, on the other hand, secured a valuable point, moving up to 15th position with six points.
Dusan Vlahovic gave Juventus the lead from the penalty spot in the 15th minute, sending the ball past Cagliari goalkeeper Simone Scuffet. The penalty was awarded after Sebastiano Luperto was judged to have handled a header from Federico Gatti. Vlahovic’s goal marked his fifth in his last three matches across all competitions.
Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, Juventus couldn’t find a second goal. The home side paid dearly for their profligacy when Razvan Marin converted a penalty in the 88th minute to level the score. The penalty was awarded after Douglas Luiz fouled Cagliari’s Roberto Piccoli in the box.
Adding to Juventus’ frustration, Francisco Conceicao was sent off in the final minutes after receiving a second yellow card for simulation. Cagliari held on to secure the draw, denying Juventus a clean sheet for the first time this season.
The draw came on the heels of a 3-2 Champions League victory for Cagliari against RB Leipzig, a match where defender Gleison Bremer sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury that will likely keep him sidelined for most of the season. The Juventus players displayed solidarity with their teammate by holding aloft Bremer’s jersey after Vlahovic’s penalty goal.
The match was a tight affair, with Cagliari aiming to hit Juventus on the counter-attack. Minutes after going behind, Cagliari launched a quick break, but Roberto Piccoli opted to shoot instead of passing to teammate Gabriele Zappa.
With 12 minutes remaining, Vlahovic missed a golden opportunity after a save from Scuffet on a Douglas Luiz attempt fell to him unmarked in front of goal. The Serbian forward, inexplicably, pulled his shot wide of the post.
Both sides went for the winning goal in added time, with Cagliari’s Adam Obert hitting the upright with his shot after Juventus was reduced to 10 men. In the end, Cagliari’s defensive resilience and late penalty secured a remarkable point away from Turin.
This draw ends Juventus’ perfect start to the season, highlighting the unpredictable nature of Serie A and the resurgence of a Cagliari side that now sits comfortably in mid-table. The match also serves as a reminder that even the most dominant teams can be caught off guard by determined opponents.
