Juventus’ hopes of a tenth successive Serie A title received a hammer blow after Benevento ran out 1-0 winners in Turin.Filippo Inzaghi’s side, who hadn’t won in 13 games, fully deserved the result after a battling display in defence and attack.
His former AC Milan team-mate Andrea Pirlo missed the opportunity to leapfrog their old club and put pressure on Inter at the top.
Chances were few and far between, but the visitors certainly came with intent. They pressed high and made life uncomfortable for the Juve defence.
Gianluca Lapadula was particularly threatening, but he and Arhur Ionita failed to convert Benevento’s best chance of the first half when Perparim Hetemaj whipped in a low cross from the right, which evaded both.Juve, badly missing absent wing-backs Alex Sandro and Juan Cuadrado, lacked conviction.
Cristiano Ronaldo had fired wide in the early minutes and Alvaro Morata was denied by Lorenzo Montipo, but they struggled to make an impact.
With ten minutes of the first half remaining, the referee awarded the Bianconeri a penalty after Daam Foulon was adjudged to have handled in the area.
After checking the VAR monitor, he changed his mind.The second half saw more of the same from the sluggish hosts, but they almost went ahead when Kulusevsky’s pass on the break was deflected goalwards by Federico Barba, but Montipo was alert to push the ball away.
Two minutes later, Adolfo Gaich put Benevento ahead after Arthur played a blind pass across his own box. He finished well on the turn.
Panicked, Juve huffed and puffed particularly through Ronaldo, who was denied by Montipo. Danilo squandered their best chance, firing over the bar from close range in the final minute of normal time.
