A 3-0 win against Sassuolo on Monday night gave Juventus a perfect start to their title challenge.
Still coming to terms with last season’s potent front four being broken up, the visitors were restricted to a series of pot-shots from long range.
While Juve was more clinical with the chances, they carved out.
Thanks to Vlahovic and Di Maria, like all their main Scudetto rivals, Juve begins with a win.
Starting lineup:
JUVENTUS (4-5-1): Mattia Perin;
Danilo, Bremer, Leonardo Bonucci, Alex Sandro;
Juan Cuadrado, Manuel Locatelli, Denis Zakaria, Weston McKennie,
Angel Di Maria; Dusan Vlahovic.
SUBS: Carlo Pinsoglio, Giovanni Garofani, Federico Gatti, Filip Kostic, Mattia De Sciglio, Daniele Rugani, Nicolo Fagioli, Nicolo Rovella, Cosimo Marco Da Graca, Fabio Miretti, Matias Soule.
SASSUOLO (4-3-3): Andrea Consigli;
Mert Muldur, Kaan Ayhan, Gian Marco Ferrari, Rogerio;
Davide Frattesi, Kristian Thorstvedt, Matheus Henrique;
Domenico Berardi, Gregoire Defrel, Georgios Kyriakopoulos.
SUBS: Gianluca Pegolo, Emil Konradsen Ceide, Martin Erlic, Pedro Obiang, Jeremy Toljan, Giacomo Raspadori, Riccardo Marchizza, Agustin Alvarez, Alessandro Russo, Luca D’Andrea, Andrea Pinamonti, Ruan, Abdou Harroui.
Goals:
JUVE LEAD! Once again, Sandro makes progress down the left, and his cross finds Di Maria on the edge of the box. The Serie A debutant then volleys the ball down into the turf, which sends it looping over a helpless Consigli and into the top corner! What a way to break the deadlock! Juventus 1-0 Sassuolo!
VLAHOVIC IS OFF THE MARK! It’s 2-0 to Juve, as Vlahovic stays ice-cool in the heat to hammer the ball past Consigli for the second! The goalkeeper dives towards the corner as the big striker places his penalty straight down the middle!
DUSAN AT THE DOUBLE! Vlahovic pounces with a poacher’s goal after Sassuolo gives the ball away deep inside their defensive third, and Di Maria throws it through to his attacking colleague. The Serbian striker steers it home at the back post, on the stretch, and Juventus lead 3-0!
So, what’s next?
Next up for Juventus is a trip to Marassi, where they take on Sampdoria in seven days.
While Sassuolo will aim to post their first points of the season against promoted Lecce on Saturday night.
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