Dejan Kulusevski left it late, but came off the bench to nod in Mattia De Sciglio’s cross and give Juventus another 1-0 Champions League victory away to Zenit.
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The Bianconeri were group leaders with a perfect record going into St Petersburg, with Alvaro Morata, Matthijs de Ligt and Weston McKennie returning to the starting XI, but Paulo Dybala and Adrien Rabiot still injured, Juan Cuadrado and Giorgio Chiellini rested. Zenit had three points and a narrow defeat to Chelsea, but missed Magomed Ozdoev and surprisingly picked Artem Dzyuba rather than Sardor Azmoun.
It was the hosts who had the first big chance, Federico Bernardeschi’s slip allowing Claudinho to get a screamer away, stinging Wojciech Szczesny’s gloves.
Federico Chiesa’s curler flashed wide, while Chsitiakov’s header on a corner was straight at Szczesny.
After the restart, McKennie was sent clear by an inspired Alvaro Morata disguised pass, but prodded straight at the on-rushing goalkeeper.
Claudinho rode a Mattia De Sciglio tackle and fired not far wide at all, but Juventus were uninspired and Max Allegri made a triple change, including Arthur and Juan Cuadrado.
Immediately, Morata just failed to get on the end of a Cuadrado cross at the back post, while Claudinho’s effort was charged down on a free kick routine.
Morata blasted over and McKennie’s diving header from a Mattia De Sciglio cross whistled wide.
The deadlock was finally broken in the final minutes, as De Sciglio put another excellent cross in from the left and Kulusevski timed his leap perfectly, just steering it in off the inside of the far post. It was the Swede’s first ever Champions League goal.
Zenit 0-1 Juventus
Kulusevski 87 (J)
Forza Juve!
A win, is a win, is a win.