Serie A: Juventus Held to Third Consecutive Draw by Lecce

Ante Rebic's stoppage-time equalizer earned Lecce a 1-1 draw against Juventus, marking the Bianconeri's third consecutive stalemate in all competitions.

Ante Rebic struck in stoppage time to rescue a dramatic equalizer for Lecce, preserving Marco Giampaolo's unbeaten record since taking the reins. Juventus, who had been leading, were left stunned as their victory slipped through their fingers in the dying moments of the match.

Juventus' woes were compounded by a severe injury crisis, with a staggering nine first-team players sidelined, including key figures such as Dusan Vlahovic, Nico Gonzalez, and Weston McKennie. As a result, Tim Weah was once again deployed as a False 9. Meanwhile, Lecce had recently parted ways with coach Luca Gotti, and new boss Marco Giampaolo had made a winning start with a 1-0 victory away to Venezia. However, Lecce were also missing several key players, including Lameck Banda, Kevin Bonifazi, and Balthazar Pierret.

Juventus squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to take the lead in the sixth minute. Kenan Yildiz made a blistering run down the left flank and delivered a pinpoint cross into the six-yard box, only for Khephren Thuram to inexplicably hit the upright from mere inches away.

The Bianconeri continued to threaten, and their second attempt on goal also resulted in the ball hitting the frame. Francisco Conceicao intercepted a stray pass in his own half, embarked on a swift counter-attack, and unleashed a sublime curling effort from distance that cannoned off the far post in the 16th minute. Tim Weah thought he had scored on 25 minutes, but his effort was chalked off due to an earlier offside infringement by Manuel Locatelli, following Wladimiro Falcone's save from Conceicao.

A momentary lapse in communication between Andrea Cambiaso and Mattia Perin nearly proved costly, as Patrick Dorgu almost capitalized on the misunderstanding in the six-yard box. However, Manuel Locatelli's swift intervention prevented a potential scoring opportunity, as he sprinted back to block Hamza Rafia's counter-attack. On the ensuing corner, Perin was called upon to smother Nikola Krstovic's header, showcasing his reflexes.

Perin was again tested by Krstovic and Dorgu, who unleashed angled drives that forced the goalkeeper to make saves. However, Krstovic also squandered a promising opportunity, firing wide of the target during a Dorgu-led counter-attack.

Danilo narrowly avoided a red card in the 67th minute when he brought down Nikola Krstovic in the center circle. Although the challenge was reckless, the referee opted for a yellow card, deeming that the foul occurred too far from the goal to be considered a clear scoring opportunity, and also taking into account the presence of another Juventus defender in the vicinity.

Moments later, Juventus benefited from a stroke of luck. Andrea Cambiaso unleashed a speculative left-footed strike from distance, which took a massive deflection off Kialonda Gaspar, completely wrong-footing Wladimiro Falcone.

The score could have easily become 2-0 in favor of Juventus, but Wladimiro Falcone made a spectacular save to deny Teun Koopmeiners' low-driven shot, which was headed for the bottom corner. Falcone's fingertips proved crucial in keeping the ball out, giving Lecce a lifeline.

In the dying moments of the match, Lecce had a golden opportunity to equalize. Nikola Krstovic's chest and half-volley was deflected wide by Pierre Kalulu, and the Lecce players appealed for handball, but the referee rejected their claims, as Kalulu's arms were tucked behind his back. Later, in stoppage time, Lecce had another chance, but Manuel Locatelli used his chest to block the initial effort. Mattia Perin then made an incredible one-handed save to deny Ante Rebic's header, only for the offside flag to be raised, negating the goal.

Lecce's relentless pressure finally paid off in the dying moments of the match, as Nikola Krstovic made a darting run down the left flank and delivered a precise cross into the box. Ante Rebic was on hand to tap the ball home from mere yards out, securing a well-deserved equalizer for Lecce. This result marks Juventus' third consecutive draw across all competitions.