Juventus” data-scaytid=”1″>Juventus finished last in the International Champions Cup after losing to Inter on penalties, 1-1 on 90 minutes.
Juventus finished last in the International Champions Cup after losing to Inter on penalties, 1-1 on 90 minutes.
This was a battle in Miami to avoid finishing last in the International Champions Cup, as both teams had suffered back-to-back defeats. The Nerazzurri fell 2-0 to Chelsea and 4-0 to Valencia, while the Bianconeri lost on penalties to Everton and 3-1 with LA Galaxy. Hugo Campagnaro returned from suspension, but Walter Samuel, Mateo Kovacic, Diego Milito and Javier Zanetti were sidelined.
Both teams made numerous changes to field an almost full-strength starting XI. Mirko Vucinic nodded an Andrea Pirlo free kick over from eight yards, while Gigi Buffon performed a stunning save on Rodrigo Palacio, who had wandered marginally offside anyway.
Pirlo curled a free kick just wide, but Inter broke the deadlock when Buffon only parried a fierce Fredy Guarin effort into the path of Ricky Alvarez. It was the first goal the Nerazzurri had scored in this tournament.
Alvarez created a fantastic chance for his brace when sprinting down the right and cutting back past Leonardo Bonucci, but fired wide of the near post.
The referee pointed to the spot before half-time, as Juan Jesus rather clumsily brought down Vucinic. Arturo Vidal stepped up and converted powerfully despite Samir Handanovic guessing the right angle.
The Chilean volleyed over from a corner and Tevez set up a chance that Claudio Marchisio turned on to the side-netting.
Alvarez failed to get on the end of a Palacio counter-attack and Marco Storari smothered a Yuto Nagatomo snapshot.
Pirlo thought he’d won it for Juve on 77 minutes when his free kick curled over the wall, but it thumped the base of the upright with Juan Pablo Carrizo rooted to the spot.
The Turin giants threatened again with a corner, as Carrizo dived out to capture the ball before anyone could get the final touch from six yards.
As neither side could snatch a winner, the tie had to be decided on penalties. Sebastian Giovinco went up first and saw his spot-kick saved by Carrizo. However, Guarin had the exact same result against Storari.
The penalties continued, including a cheeky Mauro Icardi chip, until it went to sudden death and beyond. Eventually at the 10th round of spot-kicks Carrizo saved from Mauricio Isla and then the goalkeeper went to take the winner himself, beating colleague Storari.
Juventus 1-1 Inter (9-10 on pens)
Scorers: Alvarez 29 (I) , Vidal pen 45 (J)
Penalties: Giovinco (J, saved), Guarin (I, saved), Marchisio (J, goal), Ranocchia (I, goal), Llorente (J, goal), Alvarez (I, goal), Pirlo (J, goal), Icardi (I, goal), Vidal (J, goal), Belfodil (I, goal), Ogbonna (J, goal), Olsen (I, goal), Caceres (J, goal), Andreolli (I, goal), Chiellini (J, goal), Pereira (I, goal), De Ceglie (J, goal), Jonathan (I, goal), Isla (J, saved), Carrizo (I, goal)
Juventus: Buffon (Storari 59); Caceres, Bonucci (Ogbonna 77), Chiellini; Lichtsteiner (Isla 59), Pirlo, Vidal, Marchisio, Asamoah (De Ceglie 59); Tevez (Llorente 70), Vucinic (Giovinco 70)
Inter: Handanovic (Carrizo 46); Campagnaro, Ranocchia, Juan (Andreolli 79); Nagatomo (Jonathan 79), Kuzmanovic (Belfodil 70), Cambiasso (Olsen 59), Guarin, Pereira; Alvarez, Palacio (Icardi 79)