Kalulu Saves Juve Late as Lazio Let Two-Goal Lead Slip in Turin
- Juventus preserved their unbeaten home record with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Lazio, as Pierre Kalulu powered home a stoppage-time header to deny the visitors victory at the Allianz Stadium.
Juventus snatched a point at the death in a pulsating Serie A Round 24 encounter, drawing 2-2 with Lazio after trailing by two goals either side of half-time at the Allianz Stadium.
The hosts started brightly and thought they had taken an early lead midway through the first half when Teun Koopmeiners fired home from the edge of the box. However, celebrations were cut short following a VAR review, with the effort ruled out for offside as Khephren Thuram was judged to have interfered with the goalkeeper’s line of sight.
That decision proved costly moments before the break. Manuel Locatelli was caught in possession on the halfway line, allowing Daniel Maldini to pounce and release Pedro. The experienced Spaniard kept his composure inside the area, guiding a low effort past Michele Di Gregorio via a deflection to hand Lazio a shock lead in first-half stoppage time.
The visitors struck again immediately after the restart. Captain Danilo Cataldi split the Juventus defence with a perfectly weighted pass down the right channel, sending Gustav Isaksen through on goal. The Dane showed pace and precision, racing clear before blasting a fierce finish into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.
Facing the prospect of their first home defeat of the season, Juventus responded with intensity. Weston McKennie gave the Bianconeri hope in the 59th minute, rising highest to nod home Andrea Cambiaso’s teasing cross and swing momentum firmly in the hosts’ favour.
What followed was relentless pressure from Juventus, who dominated possession and chances, racking up wave after wave of attacks. Lazio, however, could have wrapped up the contest on the counter, with clear opportunities falling to Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Kenneth Taylor and Tijjani Noslin, all of which went begging.
The missed chances came back to haunt the visitors deep into injury time. Substitute Fabio Miretti switched play out wide to Jeremie Boga, whose pinpoint cross was met by the onrushing Pierre Kalulu. The defender’s powerful header crashed into the net in the 96th minute, sparking wild celebrations and salvaging a deserved point for the home side.
The result extends Juventus’ unbeaten run at home this season and keeps them firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification. For Lazio, it was a bitter outcome, leaving them stranded in mid-table and ruing a failure to kill off a game they had firmly in their grasp.
