Juventus Fights Back as Vlahovic Rescues a Vital Draw Against Sporting
It was an intense night at the Allianz Stadium as Juventus fought their way to a hard-earned 1-1 draw against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League. The match was full of emotion, missed chances, and moments of brilliance — and in the end, it was Dusan Vlahovic who became the hero for the Bianconeri, scoring the equalizer off an assist from Thuram.
From the opening whistle, Juventus showed plenty of energy and aggression, pressing high and trying to impose their rhythm. However, it was Sporting who struck first. Around the 12th minute, a flowing move down the left caught the Juve defense off guard — Ioannidis and Trincao combined beautifully before Maxi Araujo fired home a precise diagonal shot that kissed the post and went in. It was a moment that silenced the home crowd and left Di Gregorio helpless between the posts.
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The early goal rattled Juventus, but they responded with determination rather than panic. A few minutes later, Vlahovic came close twice — first with a powerful header brilliantly denied by Rui Silva, and then with a left-footed shot that the Portuguese keeper pushed wide for a corner. Sporting, though, remained dangerous, with Trincao hitting the crossbar in another close call that could have sealed Juve’s fate early.
Midway through the first half, tempers began to flare. Cambiaso and Thuram both found themselves in the referee’s book as the match grew more physical. Locatelli, wearing the captain’s armband, tried to inspire his teammates, even testing his luck with a shot from the edge of the box that went just wide. Despite being behind, Juve’s energy and persistence kept the pressure on Sporting’s defense.
Then came the moment of relief — in the 34th minute, Thuram made a clever run and delivered a precise assist to Vlahovic, who didn’t miss this time. His shot was clinical, and the roar from the stands made it clear how much this goal meant. At 1-1, Juventus seemed rejuvenated, playing with more confidence and fluidity.
In the build-up to the game, Spalletti had emphasized the importance of attitude and balance. “We must show the right mindset — run when we have to, and play good football when we have the ball,” he had said. His players certainly showed fight, even if the full three points escaped them.
For Spalletti, this was another test in his early tenure as Juve coach — and while a draw may not have been the perfect result, it kept their hopes alive in the group stage. As the crowd applauded the team off the pitch, there was a sense that Juventus, under their new leader, might just be finding their rhythm again.
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