Both sides followed a Supercoppa Italiana semi-final loss with a draw on their return to league action last weekend, and neither began this clash showing any sign of improvement with zero shots on target until the 25th minute, when Michele Di Gregorio was equal to Ademola Lookman’s swerving effort before home goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi was called into action to make a routine stop from a Weston McKennie strike.
La Dea had the lion’s share of possession, but it was Serie A’s unbeaten side who twice came close to breaking the deadlock before half-time.
First, Kenan Yildiz’s shot fell kindly for Nicolas Gonzalez, who sent a curling strike just beyond the upright, before Yildiz fired a volley from a corner wide.
Having finished the first 45 minutes strongly, Thiago Motta’s side came out firing at the start of the second half with four efforts in as many minutes - after Yildiz, Gonzalez and Federico Gatti all tried their luck, a Pierre Kalulu header at the near post from a corner struck the inside of the post and was somehow swiped away by Carnesecchi before the whole ball crossed the line.
However, having been cruelly denied, Kalulu produced the perfect response by latching onto McKennie’s through ball and slotting it past the goalkeeper to give Juve the lead nine minutes into the second half.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side responded well and were almost level on the hour mark when Lookman had a shot blocked on the line by Teun Koopmeiners before McKennie and Ederson traded efforts in a frantic period of the game.
Juventus seemed to have weathered the storm, only for Atalanta to find the equaliser with 12 minutes remaining.
A deep cross was headed back across goal by Raoul Bellanova, who picked out fellow substitute Mateo Retegui, and he stooped low to head the ball past Di Gregorio.
Atalanta had the chance to complete the turnaround late on when the Old Lady’s defence couldn’t stop Nicolo Zaniolo’s driving run, but Di Gregorio bailed them out with a smart stop.
The draw ends a run of 16 domestic home games in which Atalanta had scored twice, while Juventus are now unbeaten in seven encounters with the Bergamo side, though an injury-time chance spurned by Yildiz sealed a 13th league draw this campaign.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Weston McKennie (Juventus)
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