Key Highlights
Genoa produced a disciplined, decisive performance at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris to beat Juventus by two goals to nil, both strikes coming in the first half. Tommaso Baldanzi was the game’s central figure, supplying the opener and later scoring himself, and his influence set the tone for a rare home victory against a side that otherwise dominated possession after the interval.
First Half
Genoa began in a three four two one formation that gave them compactness through the middle and allowed Tommaso Baldanzi to operate in pockets of menace behind the front pair. The home side’s clearest spell arrived between the eighth minute and the twenty first minute, and it yielded a breakthrough in the twelfth minute when Baldanzi’s clever delivery found Kingsley Ehizibue and the right foot finish put Genoa ahead. Baldanzi had been a constant threat before and after that move, seeing a couple of early efforts saved, and he completed his influence in the twenty eighth minute when he finished unassisted to double the lead. The first half was unusually favourable to the hosts by the underlying numbers: possession was roughly even with Genoa on forty seven percent to Juventus’s fifty three percent, and Genoa carried the higher expected goals figure in the period while also firing more attempts and more shots on target. Mario Mitaj was introduced late in the half at forty one minutes as De Rossi tinkered with his options. At the interval Genoa led by two goals to nil.
Second Half
Juventus responded with sustained pressure after the break and took commanding control of the ball, enjoying around seventy three percent possession in the second half and drawing the higher expected goals return. Their late flurry from the seventy seventh minute to the end produced the clearest sequence of sustained attacking intent, though it yielded no goal. Edon Zhegrova and Nick Woltemade, introduced at the break, helped to sharpen Juventus’s forward moments and Zhegrova in particular registered some testing attempts that were saved. Genoa retreated into a compact defensive shape, brought on Junior Messias in the sixty ninth minute to bolster the midfield and defended with discipline as Juventus registered more shots and kept their opponents largely pinned back. Justin Bijlow marshalled the back line and earned a high rating for a series of routine and crucial interventions as Genoa absorbed pressure and saw out the game. Full time, Genoa had won by two goals to nil.
Closing Thoughts
The victory is meaningful for Genoa, who climb to sixteenth in the table with seven points from eight matches and have now won two league games in a row; they travel to Lecce next. For Juventus the defeat leaves them seventh with fourteen points from eight matches and gives their upcoming home meeting with Napoli added urgency; despite dominating possession for large spells they were unable to turn control into goals, a shortcoming that will trouble their preparations for the week ahead.
