Federico Gatti’s Late Heroics Propel Juventus to Top Spot, Leapfrogging Inter Milan in Serie A
In a heart-stopping clash on Friday, Juventus shattered Monza’s unbeaten home record in Serie A this season, securing a 2-1 victory that saw them leapfrog Inter Milan to claim the top spot. The match, marked by moments of intense drama, reached its zenith with a 94th-minute winner.
The uninspiring affair had bookends of exhilarating action in the first 15 minutes and the final five minutes. Monza seemed destined for a draw with a 91st-minute equalizer by Valentin Carboni, but Federico Gatti’s strike just three minutes later wrestled the spoils back in favor of Juventus.
The drama commenced early in the game when Georgios Kyriakopoulos was penalized for pulling on Federico Chiesa’s shirt in the box, resulting in a penalty. Dusan Vlahovic’s weak penalty was initially saved low to the right by Michele Di Gregorio. However, in a remarkable display of athleticism, Di Gregorio leapt to his feet to deny the follow-up effort, preserving Monza’s hopes.
Juventus seized the lead in the 12th minute as Rabiot capitalized on slack marking during a corner, powering an unstoppable header into the net. Although Juventus nearly doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, Gatti’s effort went over the bar on the stretch.
Monza dominated possession in the second half but struggled to trouble Wojciech Szczesny in the Juventus goal. As the clock ticked down, it appeared the 36-time Italian champions would secure a narrow victory.
However, the match experienced a late resurgence when substitute Carboni’s cross-shot found the back post, eluding its intended target, Dany Mota. The euphoria in the stadium was short-lived as Gatti, redeeming himself for an earlier error, thumped in an emphatic winner in the fourth minute of added time. The goal came after he teed himself up following Rabiot’s burst on the right wing.
With this dramatic victory, Juventus now trails main title rivals Inter Milan by just one point. Inter Milan has an opportunity to reclaim the top spot when they face current champions Napoli on Sunday in what promises to be another crucial Serie A encounter.
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