Super-Sub Kean Strikes Juventus To The Brink Of Serie A Title

6th April 2019 - by AFP

Champions complete 2-1 comeback victory over AC Milan to leave them needing only a victory to seal the Italian Scudetto

Juventus' Italian forward Moise Kean celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A football match Juventus vs AC Milan on April 6, 2019 at the Juventus stadium in Turin. PHOTO/AFP

SUMMARY

Kean -- the victim of racist abuse last week in Cagliari -- came on as a substitute and fired in the winner after 84 minutes for his fifth goal in as many Serie A appearances
Gennaro Gattuso's side are fourth but can be overtaken by Atalanta, who are just a point behind and travel to third-placed Inter Milan on Sunday
Torino were held to a goalless draw at Parma with Roma travelling to European rivals Sampdoria later on Saturday, to try and close the gap on AC Milan

MILAN, Italy- Teenage sensation Moise Kean scored the winner to put Juventus one step away from an eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday as a 2-1 comeback win over AC Milan pushed the champions 21 points clear on top of the league.

Kean -- the victim of racist abuse last week in Cagliari -- came on as a substitute and fired in the winner after 84 minutes for his fifth goal in as many Serie A appearances.

The Turin giants will seal a 35th 'Scudetto' on Sunday with a seven games to spare -- the earliest any team has won Serie A -- if second-placed Napoli lose at home against Genoa.

Krzysztof Piatek had put visiting AC Milan ahead five minutes before the break with his 21st goal this season. Paulo Dybala pulled the hosts level from the spot after an hour.

The Turin giants were playing without injured striker Cristiano Ronaldo, recovering from a thigh injury, as they prepare for their Champions League quarter-final, first leg game against Ajax on Wednesday.

For Milan, the defeat further damages their Champions League ambitions with just one point from their last four Serie A games.

Gennaro Gattuso's side are fourth but can be overtaken by Atalanta, who are just a point behind and travel to third-placed Inter Milan on Sunday.

Roman sides Lazio and Roma are four points behind.

Milan firing

The visitors had come out firing.

Piatek missed a chance after two minutes heading wide from a nice cross by Spanish midfielder Suso. Franck Kessie was also off target early.

Sami Khedira came on for the first time since heart surgery a month ago, replacing fellow German Emre Can who went off early with an ankle injury.

Milan were denied a penalty when Alex Sandro handled intercepting Hakan Calhanoglu's cross. The referee deciding it was unintentional after a VAR viewing.

Minutes later Piatek broke through to beat fellow Pole Wojciech Szczesny following a blunder from former Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci, who had been under fire for comments he made over the Kean's racist abuse in Cagliari.

Tiemoue Bakayoko pounced on the sloppy pass to burst through for Piatek who finished off.

Mario Mandzukic almost grabbed the equaliser before the break but Pepe Reina, at full stretch, tipped clear the Croat's acrobatic bicycle kick.

A reckless Mateo Musacchio foul on fellow Argentine Dybala allowed the hosts pull level on the hour.

Kean came on after 65 minutes to replace Dybala and 20 minutes later the 19-year-old delivered the winner to the delight of the home crowd.

Torino were held to a goalless draw at Parma with Roma travelling to European rivals Sampdoria later on Saturday, to try and close the gap on AC Milan.