Juventus 1-1 Genoa match report: Serie A 2018-19
Bessa's solid second half header cancelled out Cristiano Ronaldo's first half strike and saw Juve drop their first points of the season.
Juventus surrendered their perfect start to the season in the Allianz Stadium as Genoa secured a 1-1 draw to temporarily dent the Turin juggernaut’s march towards a seventh consecutive Serie A title. With Napoli to play Udinese later on Saturday, Carlo Ancelotti’s side can shave Juve’s lead from six points to four with victory in the Stadio Fruili.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a tap-in after Genoa keeper Andrei Radu palmed a cross directly into the Portuguese’s path but the Romanian, on loan from Inter Milan, would make amends several times over as he led a valiant rearguard action late on to dent Juve as the home side peppered his goal with a total of 21 attempts.
Ronaldo thought he had scored four minutes before his strike when he powered a header towards goal but the woodwork intervened and in on occasionally scrappy affair in midfield, littered with fouls and lost possession, it was Genoa who would eventually find an answer through Daniel Bessa, who thumped home a header from Christian Kouamé’s cross after the Ivorian took advantage of a complete switch-off in the Juve back line to deliver from the touchline while the home side’s players had turned their gaze elsewhere, assuming the ball had gone out of play.
Juve fail to break Genoa's resolve
Massimiliano Allegri turned to his enviable bench late on the introduction of Douglas Costa and Paulo Dybala almost turned the game, the Brazilian turning the Genoa defence inside out in tandem with Alex Sandro and the Argentina striker helping himself to a hatful of chances late on.
But the visitor remained resolute and managed to frustrate Juve, who despite enjoying 64 percent of the ball and eight corners – many of which were wasted - were unable to turn their superiority into three points.
Juventus 1-1 Genoa: as it happened