Juventus opened the new Serie A season in front of their own fans with a win. Luciano Spalletti's side beat Parma 2:0, but only secured all three points after a much improved second-half display.
Starting XIs:
Juventus: Vicario – Kalulu, Bremer, Lucumí, Çelik – Locatelli, Douglas Luiz – Conceição, Boga – Kolo Muani, Jonathan David.
Parma: Corvi – Delprato, Troilo, Drobnic, Valeri – Keita, Bernabé, Ordóñez, Britschgi – Touré, Lontani.
Parma were the first to threaten through Cristian Ordóñez, but his effort did not trouble the home goal. Juventus gradually took control, and the best chance of the first half fell to Francisco Conceição.
Just over half an hour in, the Portuguese found room for a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball came back off the post.
Before the break he also tried his luck from a free-kick, while Douglas Luiz forced Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi into a save with a header. The teams nevertheless went in goalless at half-time.
Juventus came out far more aggressive after the break.
Following a corner-kick combination between Douglas Luiz and Jérémie Boga, Jhon Lucumí failed to hit the target, and shortly afterwards Randal Kolo Muani had a big chance too, coming within inches of getting a touch on the ball in front of the Parma goal.
Boga was causing the visitors problems down the left, while Conceição continued to be one of Juventus' most dangerous players on the opposite flank.
Kolo Muani had another good opportunity after a superb piece of skill and cross from Conceição, but his shot went wide.
🔄 SUBSTITUTIONS
⚪⚫ JUVENTUS
57' Nico Gonzalez ⬅️ Jonathan David
57' Kerim Alajbegovic ⬅️ Jérémie Boga
75' Lloyd Kelly ⬅️ Jhon Lucumí
76' Andrea Cambiaso ⬅️ Francisco Conceição
86' Teun Koopmeiners ⬅️ Andrea Cambiaso
🟡🔵 PARMA
61' Benjamin Cremaschi ⬅️ Cristian Ordóñez
62' David Romero ⬅️ Cristian Lontani
80' Nathaniel Elfez ⬅️ El Bilal Touré
80' Amadi Konaté ⬅️ Adrián Bernabé
84' Pontus Almqvist ⬅️ Sascha Britschgi
SPALLETTI GETS HIS CHANGES RIGHT – NICO CHANGES THE GAME IMMEDIATELY
The key moment of the match came when Spalletti decided to react from the bench.
Kerim Alajbegovic and Nico Gonzalez came on for Boga and Jonathan David, and the Argentine immediately showed just how important he can be for Juventus.
First he forced Corvi into an excellent save with a powerful volley from the edge of the box. And then came the goal.
NICO GONZALEZ MAKES IT 1:0 ☆ A GOAL JUST FIVE MINUTES AFTER COMING ON
Only five minutes after entering the fray, Nico Gonzalez put Juventus in front. The Argentine first fired a powerful shot against the post, the ball came back to him, and his second attempt took a deflection off an opposing player and wrong-footed Corvi.
Juventus – Parma 1:0.
It was a moment that completely changed the course of the match and confirmed just how important Spalletti's decision to bring on Gonzalez was.
VICARIO KEEPS JUVENTUS SAFE AS PARMA THREATEN
Parma did not give up after conceding. The visitors tried to respond almost immediately, but that is when Guglielmo Vicario came to the fore. The Juventus goalkeeper made two saves in quick succession, with an excellent stop from a David Romero effort standing out in particular.
Romero tried again in the 85th minute, but Vicario was once more equal to it and preserved the Bianconeri's lead.
KOOPMEINERS COMES ON AND IMMEDIATELY SEALS THE MATCH
If Nico Gonzalez was Spalletti's first joker from the bench, Teun Koopmeiners was the second. The Dutchman came on for Andrea Cambiaso and needed only seconds to leave his mark on the game.
In the 88th minute Koopmeiners scored to make it 2:0 and effectively settled the contest.
Another Spalletti substitution paid off instantly, and Juventus calmly saw the match out.
Juventus – Parma 2:0 (0:0)
Serie A – Matchday 2
Stadium: Allianz Stadium, Turin
Referee: Fourneau F.
Scorers: Nico Gonzalez 62', Teun Koopmeiners 88'
