Juve suffer shoot-out defeat to Empoli

Yahoo

26-02-2025

Juve were eliminated from the Coppa Italia in painful fashion, as they lost on penalties against Empoli after a 1-1 draw in regulation time (in which Empoli went ahead through Youssef Maleh before Khephren Thuram equalised in the second half for the Bianconeri).
Empoli began the match aggressively and looked to hit Juve on the counter-attack. After a couple of flurries forward from Juventus, in the 6th minute Nico Gonzalez found space on the left and delivered a dangerous ball into the box, but Devis Vasquez was alert to the danger and dealt with it. In the 8th minute, Randal Kolo Muani broke free down the right and fired in a threatening cross, which none of his team-mates were able to get on the end of. In the 17th minute, Juventus created an excellent chance: Kolo Muani linked up with Dusan Vlahovic, who in turn found Gonzalez, but the Argentine delayed his effort and was unable to capitalise on the opportunity. In the 20th minute Ismael Konate tried a shot from distance, in an attempt to catch Mattia Perin off guard, but the ball flew wide of the target.
Empoli took the lead in the 24th minute: Gonzalez lost possession in a dangerous area, Maleh latched onto Jacopo Bacci's pass and unleashed a precise right-footed strike from outside the box which nestled into the bottom corner to Perin's right. It was 1-0 to the Tuscan side. Juventus tried to react with a free-kick from the edge of the box in the 26th minute, but Teun Koopmeiners' shot smashed against the wall.
In the 38th minute, Kolo Muani created another chance, getting in behind down the right flank and delivering a teasing ball into the middle, but the Empoli defence cleared thanks to some last ditch defending. In the first minute added time at the end of the half, Empoli went close to doubling their lead: after a long clearance by Vasquez, Konate slotted in between the Bianconeri centre-backs and fired left-footed effort goalwards which took a deflection on its way hitting the post to Perin's left.
The teams went into the break with Empoli ahead 1-0.
The second half started with a great chance for the Tuscan side: as after just a minute, Maleh struck a left-footed shot from outside the box, but Perin was on hand to deny him. In the 52nd minute, Juventus came close from a free-kick by Vlahovic: the Serbian's left-footed effort was powerful, but Vasquez saved at full stretch. In the 57th minute, Kenan Yildiz went close to equalising: the Bianconeri's number 10 received the ball on the edge of the box, controlled well and let off a right footed shot, but his effort went just wide.
The Bianconeri's pressure was rewarded in the 66th minute, when Juventus found the equaliser through Thuram. The Frenchman received the ball in the box, beat Liam Henderson with a fantastic piece of skill and finished with a powerful right-footed strike towards the near post that left Vasquez with no chance.
Juventus pressed on and, in the 79th minute, went close to taking the lead through Vlahovic, who connected with a header from a Yildiz cross, but the effort was too central and landed safely in Vasquez's arms.
In the closing stages the Bianconeri upped the pressure: in the 85th minute Vlahovic broke free in the box and struck a right-footed effort over the crossbar. A minute later, Yildiz attempted a shot from the edge of the area in the aftermath of a corner, but the ball again sailed over the bar.
They were unable to find a winner, and it went to penalties.
In the resulting shoot-out Juve were punished for misses by Vlahovic and Yildiz, as Empoli made no mistake with their spot kicks and progress to the semi-final against Bologna.
Gallery | Juve - Empoli | Coppa Italia
Allianz Stadium, Wednesday 26 February, 2025 at 21:00 (CET) Coppa Italia – Quarter-Finals
Goals: 24' Maleh (E), 66' Thuram (J)
Juventus: Perin, Weah, Gatti, Kelly (54' Locatelli), Cambiaso (86' Alberto Costa), Thuram, Kolo Muani, McKennie, Koopmeiners (54' Yildiz), Nico Gonzalez (60' Conceicao), Vlahovic. Unused Substitutes: Adzic, Pinsoglio, Di Gregorio, Rouhi, Gil, Pietrelli, Mbangula. Coach: Thiago Motta.
Empoli: Vasquez, Marianucci, Ismajli (46' Goglichidze), Tosto (61' Pezzella), Sambia, Henderson, Bacci (73' Gyasi), Maleh, Cacace, Konate (60' Esposito), Colombo (60' Kouame). Unused Substitutes: Grassi, Seghetti, Kovalenko, De Sciglio, Bembnista, Asmussen, Campaniello, Brancolini. Coach: Roberto D'Aversa.
Referee: Francesco Fourneau Assistants: Alessio Berti, Damiano Di lorio Fourth Official: Ermanno Feliciani
Bookings: 65' Henderson (E), 74' Goglichidze (E), 79' Esposito (E), 81' Locatelli (J)
Next Match
Juventus-Verona Serie A – Matchday 27 Monday, 3 March, 2025 at 20:45 (CET) Allianz Stadium