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Juventus squandered an excellent opportunity to move to within touching distance of the top of the Serie A table as a dramatic late equaliser from Lazio super-substitute Felipe Caicedo condemned the Bianconeri to yet another draw at the Stadio Olimpico.
The draw sees Juventus stranded in third place in the Serie A standings as Lazio had to rely on stoppage-time heroics for the second consecutive game to salvage what was a disappointing performance. The home side was blunt in the final third in the absence of Ciro Immobile and Simone Inzaghi will count himself lucky after Felipe Caicedo's intervention.
Felipe Caicedo's late equaliser holds Juventus to disappointing draw
Both teams made aggressive starts to the game and created a flurry of chances at both ends of the pitch. Juventus were marginally the better side in the first half-hour and took the lead as Cristiano Ronaldo poked home the first goal of the game.
The Bianconeri nearly doubled their lead on a few more occasions in the first half as Cristiano Ronaldo smashed his shot against the framework and also forced Pepe Reina into a save with the last kick of the first half. Vedat Muriqi and Joaquin Correa did have a few chances at the other end for Lazio but were unable to come up with the final product.
The second half saw Lazio grow into the game as Juventus set up a defensive block to starve the home side of opportunities. The likes of Adam Marusic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic were excellent for Lazio but did not find enough support from their teammates.
Juventus took the game deep into stoppage-time and were set for a hard-fought victory before some excellent work from Joaquin Correa saw Caicedo control the ball in the penalty area. The Lazio substitute stunned Juventus with an exceptional finish and salvaged a crucial point for his side.
Lazio Player Ratings
Pepe Reina - 7.5/10
Pepe Reina had an excellent game against Juventus and denied Cristiano Ronaldo and Adrien Rabiot with acrobatic saves on either side of the half-time whistle. The Spanish shot-stopper brought all his experience to the fore against Juventus and was faultless for the Bianconeri's first-half goal.
Stefan Radu - 6.5/10
Stefan Radu was one of the better Lazio players in the first half and played a few excellent crosses into the penalty area. The centre-back could have done better to stop Cuadrado's cross and was replaced by Hoedt in the second half.
Francisco Acerbi - 6/10
Francisco Acerbi could have done better to prevent Juventus' first goal but put in a composed performance for the rest of the game. The Lazio veteran drove forward on several occasions and made a few important interceptions as the game progressed.
Luiz Felipe - 7/10
Luiz Felipe was arguably the best of Lazio's back three and was tasked with tracking the runs of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Brazilian defender came up with a match-winning tackle in the second half to deny the Portuguese forward and repelled several Juventus attacks.
Mohamed Fares - 4/10
Mohamed Fares saw plenty of the ball in the first half but was far too wasteful in the final third. The left-back also lost his battle with Juan Cuadrado and was caught out of position in the build-up to Juventus' first goal.
Adam Marusic - 6.5/10
Adam Marusic was an influential presence on the pitch and troubled Juventus with his enterprising runs. The wing-back had an excellent opportunity to score in the second half but failed to direct his header past Szczesny.
Danilo Cataldi - 6.5/10
Danilo Cataldi put in a good shift in Lazio's midfield and won the ball back on several occasions. The defensive midfielder was troubled by Rabiot and Bentancur but held his own and had a positive outing.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - 7.5/10
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic was arguably the best Lazio player on the pitch throughout the game and was a nuisance in the Juventus penalty area. The midfielder kept the ball well and created the best chance of the first half for Lazio with a well-directed header.
Luis Alberto - 5/10
Luis Alberto had a disappointing outing by his standards and was outclassed by Juventus' midfielders during his time on the pitch. The Spaniard did make a few driving runs but was surprisingly inaccurate with his link-up play and was replaced in the second half.
Joaquin Correa - 6.5/10
Joaquin Correa blew hot and cold in the first half but was much better with his decision-making towards the end of the game. The Argentine midfielder played a crucial role in Lazio's late equaliser and showed glimpses of his exceptional potential.
Vedat Muriqi - 5.5/10
Vedat Muriqi was at the receiving end of the best chance of the first half for Lazio but failed to make any contact with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's excellent header. The Kosovo striker did make some intelligent runs into the penalty area but was a relatively isolated figure and was taken off in the second half.
Substitutes
Wesley Hoedt - 6/10
Wesley Hoedt replaced Stefan Radu in the second half and had surprisingly little to do as Juventus sat back to protect their lead against Lazio.
Andreas Pereira - 4/10
Andreas Pereira came on in the second half for Lazio and failed to take his chance to impress against Juventus. The Manchester United loanee was woefully inaccurate with his crosses and squandered several opportunities for his side.
Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro - 7/10
Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro took up a central role in Lazio's midfield in the second half and proved his mettle with some excellent passages of play against Juventus. The Ivorian has plenty of potential and will play an important part in Lazio's Serie A campaign.
Felipe Caicedo - 8/10
Felipe Caicedo was at it yet again for Lazio. The home side's super-substitute stole a point for Lazio with the last kick of the game and is likely to be rewarded with a series of starts after the international break.
Manuel Lazzari - 6.5/10
Manuel Lazzari brought Lazio's flanks to life in the second half and put in a good performance against a strong Juventus side.
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Juventus Player Ratings
Wojciech Szczesny - 6.5/10
Wojciech Szczesny was a spectator for most of the game and did not have much to do against a lacklustre Lazio side. The Juventus goalkeeper made a few regulation-saves and could do nothing to stop Caicedo's late strike.
Merih Demiral - 7/10
Merih Demiral was one of the best defenders on the pitch and cut off several Lazio attacks. The young defender also stepped up to win possession for Juventus on a number of occasions and had a positive outing.
Leonardo Bonucci - 6/10
Leonardo Bonucci occupied a central position in Juventus' defence and was effective for large parts of the game but could have done more to deter Felipe Caicedo in stoppage-time.
Danilo - 6.5/10
Danilo seems to be growing under Andrea Pirlo and started as the third centre-back for Juventus today. The Brazilian defender pushed forward on several occasions and dealt with Lazio's attacks comfortably.
Gianluca Frabotta - 6/10
Gianluca Frabotta made a few enterprising runs into the opposition's territory and was a lively presence on the Juventus flank in the opening stages of the game. The left-back did leave plenty of space behind him, however, and has a long way to go at the club.
Juan Cuadrado - 7.5/10
Juan Cuadrado was exceptional on the right flank and left his opposite number Mohamed Fares for dead on several occasions. The Juventus wing-back picked up a well-deserved assist and put in a solid performance against Lazio.
Rodrigo Bentancur - 7/10
Rodrigo Bentancur was Juventus' midfield enforcer today and was brilliant against Luis Alberto in the middle of the pitch. The Uruguayan star put in a robust performance and seems to have won Andrea Pirlo's trust.
Adrien Rabiot - 8/10
Adrien Rabiot came up with one of his best performances in a Juventus shirt and stormed into the final third with the ball on several occasions. The French midfielder initiated most of Juventus' counter-attacks and will be happy with his performance.
Dejan Kulusevski - 7/10
Kulusevski had an excellent game for Juventus and used his intelligence and physicality to excellent effect on several occasions. The Swedish forward has shown tremendous improvement under Andrea Pirlo and created a few opportunities for his teammates today.
Cristiano Ronaldo - 8/10
Cristiano Ronaldo is well and truly back for Juventus. The Portuguese superstar built on his heroics against Spezia last week and scored the Bianconeri's only goal of the game with a poacher's finish in the first half. Ronaldo also disturbed the woodwork and nearly doubled his tally with a dangerous free-kick.
Alvaro Morata - 6.5/10
Alvaro Morata gave a good account of himself today and occupied a slightly deeper role in Juventus' line-up. The Spanish striker came away with the ball on a few occasions and provided an excellent outlet in the final third.
Substitutes
Paulo Dybala - 5/10
Paulo Dybala replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in the second half and did not have much to do as Juventus set up a defensive block. The Argentine forward lost the ball in the final minute of the game and Lazio took full toll of his mistake to create the equaliser.
Weston McKennie - 6/10
Weston McKennie came on in the second half and made his fair share of defensive interceptions as Lazio grew into the game.
Federico Bernardeschi - 6/10
Federico Bernadeschi was a late substitute for Juventus today and did not have enough time to make an impact for his side.
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