Salernitana 1-2 Juventus: Last-gasp Dusan Vlahovic header snatches win for Serie A title hopefuls

Dusan Vlahovic's injury-time header secured a dramatic comeback victory for Juventus as they won 2-1 against 10-man Salernitana to extend their unbeaten run and keep the pressure on Inter at the top of Serie A

The visitors enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the game's early stages but Massimiliano Allegri's side failed to find the same spark in front of goal that saw them romp to a 6-1 Coppa Italia victory over Salernitana just three days ago.

As the first half wore on, it was the hosts who made Juventus pay for their blunt attacking display when Giulio Maggiore opened the scoring with a wonderful finish, showing swift feet to shift the ball onto his left foot before curling his effort past Wojciech Szczesny and into the far corner.

Weston McKennie spurned a good chance to bring Juventus level after the break before the game was turned on its head when Maggiore went from hero to villain, picking up a second yellow card early in the second half and reducing the hosts to 10 men.

Substitute Samuel Iling-Junior scored just his second senior goal to draw the sides level with a thrashing finish into the roof of the net before Vlahovic completed the comeback in the first minute of added time, thundering home a header from Danilo's cross to snatch victory for the Bianconeri against bottom-of-the-table Salernitana.

The hosts had executed the game plan perfectly up to that point, frustrating title-chasing Juventus to few opportunities of note and taking the lead through a spectacular first-half strike. But Maggiore - scorer of Salernitana’s goal - must be rueing his challenge on Adrian Rabiot early in the second half to pick up his second booking.

From that moment forth, it felt inevitable that Juventus would find a way to score at least once against the league’s worst defensive side. Salernitana defended admirably in his absence but Juve’s quality eventually shone through, albeit in a gut-wrenching fashion for the hosts who saw what would have been a vital point slip from their grasp in injury time.

There was little the Juventus skipper could do about Salernitana’s opening goal, but the Brazilian kept his side calm as they plotted their comeback in the second half.

The 32-year-old made 98 passes at the centre of Juve’s defence and came up with the vital cross to set up Vlahovic’s injury-time winner. A true captain’s performance.

Salernitana: Costil 6, Daniliuc 6, Fazio 7, Gyomber 6, Sambia 7, Maggiore 5, Legowski 6, Candreva 6, Bradaric 6, Tchaouna 6, Simy 6. Subs: Bron 6, Ikwuemesi 6, Martegani n/a.

Juventus: Szczesny 6, Gatti 6, Bremer 7, Danilo 8, Weah 7, McKennie 7, Nicolussi 6, Rabiot 7, Kostic 5, Vlahovic 8, Yildiz 6. Subs: Rugani 6, Iling Junior 7, Milik 6, Miretti 6, Nonge n/a.

39' GOAL! Salernitana 1-0 Juventus (Maggiore): A wonderful finish from the midfielder, curling it into the left corner of the goal from the edge of the box and past a helpless Szczesny. The hosts are ahead against the run of play!

49' HAS TO SCORE! A massive chance for McKennie to level things up as the American times his run into the area perfectly. A cross from the left finds him in acres of space but the American flicks his header just wide of the far post. A big chance goes begging for Juventus.

53' RED CARD FOR SALERNITANA! From hero to villain as goalscorer Maggiore is sent off for a second yellow card. It's a clumsy challenge on Rabiot on the edge of the box and the Salernitana midfielder is given his marching orders.

65' Salernitana 1-1 Juventus (Iling Junior): Juventus are level and it's Iling Junior with the goal. Weah's low ball across the box is missed by Vlahovic but it runs through to the Englishman who smashes it into the roof of the net.

90+1' Salernitana 1-2 Juventus (Vlahovic): Juventus have surely won it right at the death as Vlahovic, at last, finds some space inside the area and thumps a header home from Danilo's cross. What a dramatic turnaround for the visitors!

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