Edin Dzeko cancelled out a Mario Mandzukic opener and Federico Bernardeschi made his Juventus debut, but Douglas Costa defeated Roma in a penalty shoot-out.
This pre-season friendly took place in Foxborough, near Boston, the usual stadium that hosts the New England Patriots. Juve started Mattia De Sciglio, but Douglas Costa and Federico Bernardeschi were on the bench. As for Eusebio Di Francesco, he picked Gregoire Defrel and Aleksandar Kolarov in this International Champions Cup fixture, but Kostas Manolas, Emerson Palmieri and Alessadro Florenzi were injured.
Edin Dzeko cancelled out a Mario Mandzukic opener and Federico Bernardeschi made his Juventus debut, but Douglas Costa defeated Roma in a penalty shoot-out.
This pre-season friendly took place in Foxborough, near Boston, the usual stadium that hosts the New England Patriots. Juve started Mattia De Sciglio, but Douglas Costa and Federico Bernardeschi were on the bench. As for Eusebio Di Francesco, he picked Gregoire Defrel and Aleksandar Kolarov in this International Champions Cup fixture, but Kostas Manolas, Emerson Palmieri and Alessadro Florenzi were injured.
Edin Dzeko almost opened the scoring from a sensational Defrel ball over the top, but prodded it inches wide off the outside of his boot at the far post.
Moments later, Radja Nainggolan’s scorcher skimmed the crossbar and Dzeko’s effort was deflected off Alex Sandro’s ankle.
Mario Mandzukic came sliding in at the far stick, just unable to connect with a whipped Juan Cuadrado cross, and Miralem Pjanic’s scorcher shaved a coat of paint off the upright.
Juventus took the lead when Federico Fazio failed to cut out an Alex Sandro through ball, allowing Mandzukic to waltz round Alisson in a one-on-one situation.
Dybala had the ball in the net after the restart, but was just offside, and Roma were unlucky when Kevin Strootman’s thunderbolt rattled the crossbar.
Gigi Buffon smothered a Dzeko volley from Radja Nainggolan’s cross, but Alisson Becker outdid himself with a magnificent double reaction save on Douglas Costa’s curler and above all the Gonzalo Higuain follow-up from point-blank range.
Federico Bernardeschi made his Juventus debut in the final 25 minutes, but it was Roma who equalised with Dzeko at the end of a long passing move from left to right, with Kolarov rolling across for the Bosnian to tap in.
The Giallorossi’s fitness levels seemed better and they ended strong, Carlo Pinsoglio beating away a Kolarov free kick, but Bernardeschi hit the side-netting on the counter and Douglas Costa’s set-play was off target.
It ended 1-1 in Foxborough and went to a penalty shoot-out. Pinsoglio already had a reputation as a spot-kick saver and immediately denied Marco Tumminello, while he got a hand to Lorenzo Pellegrini’s and couldn’t keep that one out.
Douglas Costa had to keep his nerve and converted the final penalty to give Juventus victory in the shoot-out.
Roma 1-1 Juventus (4-5 on pens)
Mandzukic 28 (J), Dzeko 74 (R)
Penalties: Tumminello (R, saved), Lichtsteiner (J, goal), Pellegrini (R, goal), Barzagli (J, goal), Iturbe (R, goal), Bernardeschi (J, goal), Peres (R, goal), Khedira (J, goal), Cengiz (R, goal), Douglas Costa (J, goal)
Roma: Alisson; Peres, Fazio, Juan Jesus (Moreno 46), Kolarov (Castan 83); Nainggolan (Gerson 63), De Rossi (Gonalons 46), Strootman (Pellegrini 63); Defrel (Cengiz 63), Dzeko (Iturbe 83), Perotti (Tumminello 83)
Juventus: Buffon (Pinsoglio 66); De Sciglio (Lichtsteiner 46), Benatia, Rugani, Alex Sandro (Asamoah 66); Pjanic (Sturaro 66), Marchisio (Khedira 46); Cuadrado (Douglas Costa 46), Dybala (Bernardeschi 66), Mandzukic (Bentancur 66); Higuain (Kean 75)
Image via @juventusfcen