ROME: AS Roma and Juventus played out a 1-1 draw in Serie A on Sunday as Roma’s Eldor Shomurodov cancelled out a first-half opener by Juve captain Manuel Locatelli.

Locatelli broke the deadlock for the visitors five minutes before halftime with a shot from outside the area and Roma substitute Shomurodov levelled soon after the break from a rebound, blasting the ball in off the crossbar from close range.

Juve were held to a draw in new manager Igor Tudor’s second game in charge, after the former defender got off to a winning start last weekend with a 1-0 home victory over Genoa.

Juventus are fifth on 56 poi­nts after 31 games, level with fourth-placed Bologna who host second-placed Napoli.

“I really liked the first half, we pushed well,” Tudor told DAZN after his second game in charge. “They changed something in the second half, but in the end we wanted to win it more.

“Considering the period that the team is coming from, both physically and mentally, we’re on the right path. The draw gives us confidence.”

Roma, unbeaten in the league since late December, sit seventh with 53 points and still hold realistic chances of qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s men still have to face leaders Inter Milan, third-placed Atalanta, Fiorentina and AC Milan after travelling to sixth-placed Lazio next weekend.

“It gives us confidence, it’s a shame that we only got a point today but we move on,” said Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar, who pushed Nicolas Gonzalez’s header onto the crossbar in the 28th minute.

Juventus started aggressively and Timothy Weah tested Roma keeper Mile Svilar from distance after three minutes.

Roma’s Bryan Cristante had a close-range attempt thwarted by a superb block from Juve defender Pierre Kalulu before Dusan Vlahovic threatened Roma’s goal with a header.

The hosts, without injured striker Paulo Dybala, came close to taking the lead through Stephan El Shaar­awy, who hit the post with a header just before Locatelli gave Juventus the lead.

Kalulu’s cross was cleared from around the penalty spot, but the new Juventus captain fired a first-time shot inside the bottom corner.

Roma, who had no attempts on target in the opening half, equalised through halftime substitute Shomurodov in the 49th minute.

Evan Ndicka tested Juve keeper Michele Di Gregorio with a header from a corner and Shomurodov was in the right place to score from the follow-up.

Just six points separate Fiorentina in eighth and third-placed Atalanta, who only lead Juve by two points after falling to a third straight defeat, 1-0 at home to sixth-placed Lazio.

Contenders for a first league title only a few weeks ago, a third loss in a row without scoring has left Atalanta looking over their shoulders.

Gustav Isaksen poked home Lazio’s winner after a defensive mix-up in the 54th minute in Bergamo, where Atalanta haven’t won a domestic fixture since before Christmas.

Atalanta’s previously flowing attacking football has dried up since the turn of the year, and stars Ademola Lookman and Mateo Retegui were substituted in the 75th minute with the hosts chasing the game following poor individual performances.

Italy striker Retegui missed Atalanta’s only real chance four minutes before Isaksen’s winner for Lazio.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025