TURIN: Juventus were held to a surprise 1-1 home draw by Cagliari on Sunday after a late penalty which led to the Turin giants conceding second place in Serie A to Inter Milan.
Razvan Marin lashed home the 88th-minute equaliser to give Cagliari a point at the Allianz Stadium after Roberto Piccoli was clumsily brought down by Douglas Luiz, who also gave a penalty away in Wednesday´s thrilling Champions League win at Leipzig.
Romania midfielder Marin´s arrowed penalty levelled Dusan Vlahovic´s 15th-minute spot-kick and moved Cagliari a point above the relegation zone. It was the first goal conceded by Juve in Serie A this season and left Thiago Motta´s third-placed side three points behind league leaders Napoli after seven fixtures.
“We took out foot off the pedal after our goal, and we can´t do that. We need to keep attacking, and attack well,” said Motta. “We created a few opportunities but there was always the feeling that Cagliari could get back into the game. What happened today is all our own fault.”
Cagliari could have even snatched a last-gasp win as Adam Obert thumped the post in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Juve down to 10 men following Francisco Conceicao´s sending off almost immediately after Marin´s equaliser.
Conceicao picked up a second booking after trying to win Juve´s second penalty of the game in a frantic finish to a match which had largely been a drab affair before Luiz was penalised for his challenge following a VAR check.
“I´m pleased to get a point at Juve, it was hard because I had the whole stadium whistling me but I managed to keep my concentration,” said Marin. Juventus, who were missing Nico Gonzalez, Arkadiusz Milik,
Timothy Weah and Gleison Bremer, who suffered a serious knee injury at Leipzig, would have almost certainly had the full three points had Vlahovic not wasted a huge chance in the 78th minute.