Late strikes from Khephren Thuram and Teun Koopmeiners secured Juventus a 2-0 victory over Hellas Verona in Serie A on Monday, extending Thiago Motta’s winning streak to five matches.
Despite dominating possession and generating nearly 30 chances, Juventus found it difficult to break the deadlock.
Many of their efforts were wayward, while Verona goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo pulled off a series of impressive saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Thuram eventually broke through in the 72nd minute, guiding the ball into the net with his first touch from around the penalty spot. Koopmeiners then sealed the win in the 90th minute with a well-placed low shot from a tight angle.
Following their elimination from the Coppa Italia quarterfinals by relegation-threatened Empoli last week, Juventus bounced back to maintain their place in the top four.
They now sit fourth in the table with 52 points, trailing leaders Inter Milan by six and holding a two-point advantage over fifth-placed Lazio.
Verona, meanwhile, remain 14th, just four points above the drop zone.
Juve’s victory helped them close the gap at the top after Inter dropped points at Napoli and Atalanta were held to a goalless draw at home by struggling Venezia.
Verona made the first threats of the game, as Tomás Suslov and Amin Sarr tested Juve’s Michele Di Gregorio with long-range efforts in the opening minutes.
However, from that point on, the visitors were pinned back inside their own half as Juventus relentlessly pushed forward.
Thuram had a golden opportunity to open the scoring early, receiving a precise pass inside the box, but his weak shot made it an easy save for Montipo.
Weston McKennie thought he had finally given Juve the lead before halftime with a close-range header from a free kick, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.
Montipo continued his heroics, denying Manuel Locatelli twice in quick succession, further frustrating the home crowd.
Verona briefly thought they had taken a surprise lead in first-half stoppage time when Suslov unleashed a stunning long-range strike, but his goal was chalked off for offside.
After the break, Kenan Yildiz hit the side netting as Juventus kept pressing. Eventually, Thuram’s persistence paid off when he found the right corner of the net to break the deadlock. Koopmeiners then doubled the advantage with a clever finish, driving the ball past Montipo at the near post.
Juventus’ victory marked the first time since 2021 that they have won their opening four home league matches in a calendar year.
