Returning to Turin: Could Koopmeiners' First Juventus Score Bolster His Radiance?
After 15 outings, Teun Koopmeiners at last notched his initial goal for Juventus, but it wasn't sufficient as the Bianconeri ended up tied in yet another tedious 2-2 tie against Bologna.
In actuality, matters could have been significantly more grim for the Turin club, as their roster continued to battle injuries before this showdown. Although Vasilije Adzic, Nicolo Savona, and Dusan Vlahovic returned to the squad, Juve was still without Arek Milik, Gleison Bremer, Juan Cabal, Nico Gonzalez, Douglas Luiz, and Weston McKennie.
These difficulties cropped up early on when a shot from Dan Ndoye was thwarted by Andrea Cambiaso following six minutes, necessitating treatment from the physio for the defender.
How Bologna Kept Juventus in Check for Over an Hour
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of Juventus’ finest players this season, Cambiaso attempted to carry on, but in the end, he was replaced, leaving Juve devoid of yet another crucial player. Bologna seized the opportunity, as Ndoye's attempt struck the goal framework before a Juan Miranda free kick was deflected onto the roof of the net by Tim Weah within the opening 25 minutes.
Soon afterward, Jens Odgaard rushed to pursue a long ball, but Pierre Kalulu tripped him, with the latter only escaping a red card because the Bologna player did not have control of the ball at the time of the incident.
It ultimately didn't make a difference as moments later Emil Holm's pass dissected the Juve defense, and Ndoye connected perfectly, hammering the ball into the roof of the net to award the Rossoblu a well-deserved victory.
Juve had a few chances, however, as the halftime whistle blew, and there was no mistaking which side had the upper hand. According to statistics from WhoScored.com, Bologna – despite being as visitors – had enjoyed 52.1% possession while barely letting their hosts settle down.
Whatever plans Thiago Motta had at the break were dashed by the Coach himself, as he was shown a straight red card for dissent and Bologna extended its lead shortly thereafter.
A clever flick from Santiago Castro went between Federico Gatti's legs and sent Tommaso Pobega through on goal, the AC Milan-owned midfielder lofting the ball over a bewildered Mattia Perin.
Teun Koopmeiners FINALLY Finds the Back of the Net for Juventus
Somehow, Juve went 2-0 down and suddenly discovered a spark. Good work from Francisco Conceicao released Danilo down the right, with the Brazilian’s pass picking out Koopmeiners who slammed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.
This provoked a chaotic last thirty minutes as Juve searched for equilibrium and Bologna did everything in its power to disrupt any rhythm they may have discovered. Samuel Mbangula went down far too easily looking for a penalty, but eventually, he secured a point for the home side with a curling effort that found the top corner in stoppage time.
This means Juve have been tied in nine of their 15 Serie A games, currently on a run of seven stalemates in their last nine games, with Koopmeiners demanding more from his side immediately after the final whistle.
“I think we should always play the way we did in the last 20 minutes, when we are aggressive, pushing forward, pressing and doing more,” he said in a post-match interview with DAZN.
“It is not enough for us to only do that for 20 minutes, we need to do more. The players must feel the responsibility to always be at that level. We saw in the last three or four games that we conceded in the latter stages, we must feel ourselves constantly fired up and ready.”
The Bianconeri are hoping that the Dutch international – who was selected for the Serie A Team of the Season last term for his performances with Atalanta – takes his own advice, turning in one of his best performances here and netting a long-overdue debut goal for the club.
According to WhoScored, Koopmeiners set up no fewer than five clear-cut scoring opportunities for his teammates against Bologna, also contributing three tackles and a clearance.
Juventus need this to be the spark that reignites his form and that Teun Koopmeiners begins to resemble the man they paid €51.3 million ($53.95 million) for back in the summer.
Despite Koopmeiners' impressive performance, providing five clear-cut scoring opportunities and making three tackles, Juventus fans are eagerly waiting for him to find his footing at the club, similar to his form that earned him a spot in the Serie A Team of the Season last term with Atalanta. Interestingly, it was Koopmeiners himself who scored his initial goal for Juventus, a powerful strike from 12 yards, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory in their 2-2 tie against Bologna.
