VlahoviÄ‡ scores 2 as injury-hit Juventus wins 3-2 at Empoli

Posted February 26, 2022 6:00 am

By DANIELLA MATAR

Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the hame during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Empoli and Juventus at the Castellani Stadium in Empoli, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (Marco Bucco/LaPresse via AP) The Associated Press

MILAN (AP) - DuÅ¡an VlahoviÄ‡ scored twice as injury-depleted Juventus won 3-2 at Empoli on Saturday to move to within seven points of Serie A leader AC Milan.

VlahoviÄ‡ netted his first on the stroke of halftime after Szymon Å»urkowski had canceled out Moise Kean's opener for Juventus.

The 22-year-old VlahoviÄ‡ doubled his tally and looked to have all but sealed the result in the 66th minute before a goal from Empoli substitute Andrea La Mantia led to a nervy finale.

The result saw Juventus snap a run of three successive 1-1 draws, while Empoli's winless streak stretched to 10.

Juventus knew a win would put it back in the title race after draws for both Inter Milan and AC Milan on Friday.

But coach Massimiliano Allegri was without a number of key players, with Weston McKennie and Alex Sandro added to the ever-lengthening injury list.

All Serie A matches are starting five minutes late this weekend accompanied by a peace message following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Juventus had several chances to take the lead before it eventually broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Adrien Rabiot whipped in a cross from the left and Kean headed in at the back post.

But the Bianconeri were hit with a double blow shortly after as Denis Zakaria limped off with an apparent left thigh injury and moments later Empoli leveled when Å»urkowski managed to prod the ball in after a goalmouth scramble following a corner.

However, Juventus leveled in first-half stoppage time as Juan Cuadrado threaded the ball through to VlahoviÄ‡, who controlled before firing into the back of the net.

It was VlahoviÄ‡'s third goal since joining Juventus from Fiorentina last month and he added another in the second half as he finished off a counterattack by lifting the ball over Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after being set up by Alvaro Morata.

Juventus appeared to be heading for an almost certain win but, 10 minutes later, Leonardo Bonucci headed a free kick off the underside of the crossbar. As the move continued La Mantia managed to squeeze the ball inbetween Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech SzczÄ™sny and the post.

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Empoli's Szymon Zurkowski, right, celebrates scoring during the Serie A soccer match between Empoli and Juventus at Castellani Stadium in Empoli, Italy, Saturday Feb, 26, 2022. (Marco Bucco/LaPresse via AP) The Associated Press

Empoli's Petar Stojanovic, right, and Juventus' Adrien Rabiot battle for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Empoli and Juventus at Castellani Stadium in Empoli, Italy, Saturday Feb, 26, 2022. (Marco Bucco/LaPresse via AP) The Associated Press

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