April 3, (THEWILL)- Juventus took a giant stride towards the Coppa Italia final with a 2-0 victory over Lazio in the first leg of their semi-final clash on Tuesday night. Federico Chiesa and Dusan Vlahovic scored the crucial goals as Massimiliano Allegri’s charges gained the upper hand ahead of the second leg in Rome.
The match started tentatively, with both sides cautious given the high stakes involved. The major talking point of the first half came when Juventus were awarded a penalty, only for the decision to be overturned following a VAR review. The opening 45 minutes finished goalless with Lazio going closest through Luis Alberto’s header which struck the woodwork.
However, the contest burst into life after the restart. Within five minutes, Juventus took the lead in style as Chiesa fired home a precise finish after being played through by Andrea Cambiaso. This opener encouraged an open, entertaining spectacle with chances at both ends.
The crucial second goal arrived midway through the second half as Vlahovic cut inside and lashed the ball into the corner from the edge of the box. The Serbian striker’s third strike against Lazio this season at the Allianz Stadium effectively killed off the tie.
Despite a recent poor run, this victory provides a major boost for Juventus in their pursuit of a first trophy since 2021. Lazio now face an uphill battle to overturn the two-goal deficit in the second leg on home soil.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
