Igor Tudor’s first game in charge of Juventus ended with a 1-0 home win against Genoa in their Serie A clash on Saturday, with Kenan Yildiz scoring the only goal of the game.
Juventus remains fifth in the standings on 55 points, moving back to within one point of fourth-placed Bologna, which won 1-0 at Venezia earlier on Saturday. Genoa stayed 12th on 35 points.
Tudor was appointed last Sunday to replace Thiago Motta. The Croatian, who spent most of his playing career at Juventus and was later Andrea Pirlo’s assistant for one season, has been tasked with securing a Champions League spot for next season.
Motta was sacked after two heavy defeats, 4-0 at home to Atalanta and
3-0 at Fiorentina came hot on the heels of Juve’s exits from both the Champions League and Coppa Italia.
As expected, Tudor made immediate changes, switching to three at the back and dropping forward Randal Kolo Muani in favour of Dusan Vlahovic, who had only played 23 minutes from the bench in the last three games.
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“We have to start strong and do well, get a result. We have to win,” Tudor told DAZN before kickoff.
Juventus did begin on the attack, but Genoa had the early chances. Morten Frendrup hit a volley which almost crept under the bar before Michele Di Gregorio got back to save. Frendrup later hit a weak effort, which never troubled the goalkeeper.
After Teun Koopmeiners wasted a good Juventus move, sending his shot high and wide, the hosts went in front in the 25th minute thanks to a solo goal from Yildiz.
The 19-year-old forward collected the ball well outside the area and drove forward into the box, rounding a defender before finishing with a powerful shot from a narrow-angle which beat goalkeeper Nicola Leali.
Neither side created much for the rest of the opening half, but Genoa had a chance to level shortly after the break, with Andrea Pinamonti sending a volley just wide.
The hosts’ only real opportunity to double its lead came in stoppage time, but Timothy Weah scuffed his shot, which Leali easily saved, and the game ended with a much-needed, if unconvincing, win for Tudor’s side.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com