Juventus fans were treated to a rollercoaster night at the Allianz Stadium, as the Bianconeri clawed back from a seemingly hopeless 2-0 deficit to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw against Lazio in a thrilling Serie A 2025/26 encounter. The real hero of the hour? Pierre Kalulu, whose last-gasp 96th minute header will be replayed endlessly in the highlight reels, snatching a point in a game that had all the hallmarks of a classic. But how did we get there, and what made this match so memorable?
Early frustrations and first-half drama: missed chances and Lazio’s shock lead
It all started with Juventus pressing hard for an early goal. Ivan Provedel pulled off a fantastic save to deny Bremer’s powerful header, while Teun Koopmeiners thought he’d opened the scoring—only for VAR to rule the effort out for an offside by Khephren Thuram.
Just as the first half was winding down, a game-changing mistake shook up the script: Daniel Maldini dispossessed Manuel Locatelli, sparking a quick exchange with Pedro. The Spanish forward fired, his shot taking a cruel deflection off Bremer to leave Di Gregorio helpless. The stadium fell silent as Lazio stole the lead in stoppage time.
Lightning counter strikes: Lazio double down in the second half
Momentum stayed with Lazio after the break. Maurizio Sarri’s men wasted no time—with Gustav Isaksen showing his class, latching on to a blistering counter, rounding Di Gregorio, and tucking home from an acute angle. At 2-0 up, the Biancocelesti looked poised to break a mystifyingly long spell against the Bianconeri—having not achieved a league double over Juventus since 1942-43.
Some interesting facts were born in these moments:
- Pedro celebrated his 150th Serie A appearance, all after turning 34—a testament to his longevity and consistent performance.
- He’s only the fourth foreign player since the inception of the three-points-per-win era to reach this mark after age 34, joining the ranks of Javier Zanetti, Samir Handanovic, and Rodrigo Palacio.
Juventus roars back: McKennie leads revival, drama reaches fever pitch
You could almost feel the tide turning as Juventus pushed forward. Kenan Yildiz and Edon Zhegrova’s attempts forced smart saves from Provedel, but the breakthrough came on 59 minutes. A perfectly placed cross from Andrea Cambiaso met Weston McKennie’s determined leap, the American heading home with conviction.
The action didn’t let up: Nuno Tavares produced a heroic last-ditch clearance to deny Bremer, before McKennie went from hero to heartbreaker—his second goal chalked off for another narrow offside. Juventus kept hammering at the door, their mounting xG figure a testament to the siege on the Lazio goal.
Late twist in the tale: Kalulu ignites the Allianz in the 96th minute
As fatigue set in, Lazio’s Tijjani Noslin missed a golden opportunity to seal the win—a miss that would haunt the visitors mere minutes later. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Jeremie Boga floated in a tantalizing cross and Pierre Kalulu soared highest, directing a thumping header past the sprawling Provedel and exploding the crowd into wild celebrations.
Key match stats tell an intriguing story:
- Juventus registered 34 shots, an impressive 2.84 xG, compared to Lazio’s 9 shots and 1.06 xG.
- The Bianconeri protected their unbeaten home record in Serie A this season, just barely, while denying Lazio their first league double in over 80 years.
While Juventus showed immense heart and attacking flair, there will be mixed feelings after coming so close to turning the game in their favor. With McKennie’s remarkable scoring run since Spalletti’s arrival (seven goals, more than any Serie A midfielder), and youthful talents like Kalulu stepping up, this match hints at a promising, if unpredictable, campaign ahead for the Turin giants.