Juventus fall into Fiorentina’s trap: late lead slips away in a 1-1 Florence standoff

Match Overview

Juventus and Fiorentina settled for a 1-1 draw in a heated Serie A clash at the Artemio Franchi on matchday 12. Juventus opened the scoring just before halftime through Filip Kostic, and Fiorentina equalized shortly after the break thanks to Rolando Mandragora. A controversial moment saw a Dusan Vlahovic penalty awarded and then canceled after a VAR review, keeping the score level and the drama alive.

Juventus dominated early proceedings with patient buildup and quick passing, but their control did not translate into a second goal. Moise Kean struck the crossbar at the 25th minute, signaling that rewards would be hard to come by on the day. The stadium atmosphere turned tense when a round of chants directed at former Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic prompted the referee to pause play and address the crowd.

In the second half, Fiorentina came out more aggressive and drew level three minutes after the restart when Mandragora fired in from distance, then the pace of the game swung back and forth with both teams creating chances. Juventus’ goalkeeper David De Gea produced a series of important saves to keep his team in it as substitutions by Luciano Spalletti’s Fiorentina and Juventus’ lineup reshaped the dynamic of the match.

Late on, Jurgen? (Note: Substitutions included Meriti and Cabal for Fiorentina’s lineup in the 66th minute, while Cabal then combined with teammates on a couple of dangerous forays forward.) The final whistle confirmed a draw that preserved Juventus’ growing run of stalemates across competitions and left Fiorentina with a much-needed point but still near the bottom of the standings.

Key moments included a first-half penalty decision that was overturned by VAR and a memorable long-range effort that struck the bar, illustrating how tight the contest was and how small margins decided the outcome.

In the end, it finished 1-1, with Juventus on 20 points in sixth and Fiorentina on 6 points, still anchored near the bottom but showing glimpses of resilience. The match showcased a blend of disciplined defending, reduced gaps, and moments of individual quality that kept fans engaged throughout the 90+ minutes.

Punchline 1: If patience is a virtue, Juventus just earned a saint diploma—they waited so long for the second that a point decided to be polite and stay with Fiorentina. Punchline 2: In football, as in shopping during a sale, you think you’ve got a bargain until you realize you’re paying in both time and pain for a draw that barely fits in your cart.