Juventus 2 - 0 Carpi
Monday May 2 2016
There was no Scudetto hangover for Juventus, who swept Carpi aside 2-0 with Hernanes and Simone Zaza goals.
The Bianconeri were celebrating their fifth consecutive Scudetto, but Max Allegri warned against a party atmosphere because Carpi arrived desperate for points to avoid sliding back into the drop zone. Claudio Marchisio, Giorgio Chiellini, Martin Caceres and Neto missed out, but Patrice Evra was tested in a three-man defence. Carpi were unbeaten in three rounds, but had Lorenzo Lollo and Raffaele Bianco suspended.
The only previous meeting was a 3-2 thriller on December 20, famous because Allegri tore off his coat in a rage when Juve almost conceded a last-gasp equaliser.
Leonardo Bonucci’s Andrea Pirlo-style pass over the top found a Paul Pogba volley, forcing a difficult Vid Belec save at the near post. Alvaro Morata’s diving header also flashed just wide, but after 20 minutes of dominance Carpi emerged.
Gigi Buffon had to stick out a foot at the near post to deny Simone Verdi’s angled drive, while on the resulting corner both Jerry Mbakogu and Emanuele Suagher were unmarked and went for the same ball, the latter volleying wide.
Daniele Rugani’s header skimmed the bar and Bonucci’s shot was so powerful it left Simone Romagnoli with a bruised ankle when charging it down.
The first half seemed to be creeping towards 0-0 when Hernanes’ strike from the edge of the box surprised Vid Belec, squirming in at the base of the near post, but the goalkeeper really should’ve done better. It was the Brazilian’s first goal in a Bianconeri jersey and consequently his first somersault.
Morata picked up a knock in the first half and made way for Simone Zaza. Verdi curled a free kick over, as did Kwadwo Asamoah at the end of a solo run.
Carpi threw on supersub Kevin Lasagna, who immediately had an effort off target, and Filippo Porcari’s sudden screamer skimmed the upright with Buffon rooted to the spot.
Mandzukic and Bonucci combined to turn wide from a corner, but Juve did double their lead when Simone Zaza aimed a looping header into the far top corner from Pogba’s cross, resisting the close marking from Romagnoli.
In stoppages Pogba, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bonucci and Hernanes all got silly yellow cards and will be suspended against already-relegated Verona. They seemed to be looking for the cards to get their bans out of the way.
Juventus: Buffon; Rugani, Bonucci, Evra; Cuadrado (Lichtsteiner 74), Asamoah (Sturaro 85), Hernanes, Pogba, Alex Sandro; Mandzukic, Morata (Zaza 46)
Carpi: Belec; Zaccardo, Romagnoli, Suagher; Sabelli, Crimi (Porcari 74), Cofie, Martinho (Lasagna 65), Gagliolo; Verdi (De Guzman 85); Mbakogu
Goals: Hernanes 42 (J), Zaza 80 (J)
Ref: Irrati
