Juventus continued its resurgence with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over struggling Cagliari on Sunday, as Dusan Vlahovic’s early strike secured all three points and strengthened the team’s hold on fourth place in Serie A.
After enduring a series of frustrating stalemates earlier in the season, Juve has now won four straight matches, reaching 49 points, five behind third-placed Atalanta and eight off league leaders Inter Milan.
Meanwhile, Cagliari remains 15th with 25 points, hovering just four above the relegation zone.
The Turin giants came into the fixture determined to respond after their recent Champions League exit at the hands of PSV Eindhoven, where they fell 4-3 on aggregate.
Vlahovic wasted no time making an impact, breaking through in the 12th minute. Beating the defense to a well-timed through ball, he skillfully evaded an advancing Elia Caprile before slotting home from a tight angle to hand Juventus an early advantage.
Juventus had a golden opportunity to extend its lead shortly after, with both Vlahovic and Francisco Conceicao testing Caprile, but the Cagliari shot-stopper stood firm, keeping his side in the game.
Head Coach, Thiago Motta, endured a frustrating moment in the second half as Douglas Luiz, returning from injury, was forced off just 20 minutes after coming on, adding to Juventus’ ongoing fitness woes.
Vlahovic nearly put the contest beyond doubt late in the second half when he latched onto a long ball and powered toward goal, only to see Caprile deny him once more.
Juventus remained dangerous on the break, with Randal Kolo Muani delivering a cutback from the byline for Kenan Yildiz, whose near-post effort was again kept out by Caprile.
Despite Cagliari’s resilience, Juventus held firm to claim a vital away victory.
