Coppa Italia: Juventus Thrash Salernitana 6-1 To Progress Into Next Round

Femi Onasanya
By Femi Onasanya - Sports Reporter
3 Min Read

Juventus defeated struggling Serie A team Salernitana 6-1 in Turin, keeping them on track for a record 15th Coppa Italia title.

Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi‘s unexpected goal in the first minute sent the Allianz Stadium into stunned stillness.

Before the interval, though, Juve responded through Andrea Cambiaso and Fabio Miretti, and they ruled the second half.

Following goals from Daniele Rugani, Dylan Bronn’s own goal, Kenan Yildiz, and Timothy Weah, Massimiliano Allegri’s team advances to the quarterfinals, where they will take on Frosinone.

Ikwuemesi scored the first goal in the first minute to give Salernitana, led by former Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi, a fairytale start against his old team.

The Nigerian striker took advantage of a mistake made by defender Federico Gatti inside the penalty area and finished low into the bottom corner.

Junior Sambia’s effort from outside the box, which was heading for the top corner, was then stopped by Juve custodian Mattia Perin, depriving Salernitana of a second.

However, the Bianconeri, who made seven changes from their Serie A victory against Roma at home last week, weathered the early storm and tied the score in the twelfth minute.

After Cambiaso headed the ball within the box, Miretti scored with a low, left-footed shot.

Referee Davide Ghersini gave Juve a penalty in the eighteenth minute, but VAR determined that Sambia had fouled Gatti outside the box, awarding Juve a free kick instead.

As Salernitana gathered momentum, Vincenzo Fiorillo, in goal, denied Federico Chiesa and Rugani. Later, the home team seized the lead after Chiesa and Adrien Rabiot’s header went near again.

After a corner in the 35th minute, Danilo was first to react on the edge of the six-yard box, setting up Cambiaso for a close-range goal.

Before the half, Juve attempted to increase their lead, with Fiorillo being forced to make further stops by Miretti and a thunderbolt from Arkadiusz Milik.

In the 54th minute, Rugani scored on a rebound after Milik’s header from a corner had been saved, making Salernitana’s mission appear unattainable.

With fifteen minutes to go, Kenan Yildiz, who came on as a substitute in the game, gave Juventus a 4-1 lead after his shot deflected in off Tunisian defender Bronn.

In the 88th minute, Yildiz scored Juve’s fifth goal on a brilliant solo effort. In the first minute of extra time, Weah finished the scoring with a low drive from outside the box to round off the scoring to 6-1.

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Femi is a sport enthusiast, writer and commentator. Passionate about Sports and physical therapy with a flair for writing.