Juventus suffered their first defeat of the 2026-27 Serie A season in dramatic fashion, losing 3-2 to Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia on Sunday. Former Juve youth product Adzic scored a 94th-minute winner on the counter-attack to condemn Luciano Spalletti's side to an astonishing collapse after they had twice come from behind.
The result leaves Juventus facing a potential five-point gap at the top of Serie A heading into the rest of matchday four.
A Tense Opening Half
Juventus created the first clear chance when Nico Gonzalez struck the crossbar with a low drive from the edge of the box, but that was the visitors' lone moment of quality in a disjointed first half. Sassuolo, coached by Alberto Aquilani, were the more adventurous side, with Domenico Berardi — restored to the starting lineup in a front three alongside Davide Frattesi — testing Wojciech Szczesny and Lewis Doig also going close.
The home side's goalkeeper Muric was already proving decisive, making key interventions to keep Juve at bay as Spalletti's men struggled to build any sustained attacking rhythm.
Second-Half Drama
The match came alive after the break. Juve showed greater intent following the introduction of some fresh legs, but it was Sassuolo who struck first. In the 65th minute, Mateja Milenkovic-Savic picked out Esposito in the area, and the striker swiveled brilliantly to fire past Vicario into the bottom corner. The goal was reward for Sassuolo's sustained pressure and a moment of quality that Juve's defense could not contain.
Muric continued to shine, saving from Douglas Luiz to preserve the lead. Spalletti introduced Zhegrova and Woltemade in search of an equalizer, and the Kosovo international delivered. Zhegrova curled a precise left-footed shot into the bottom corner in the 82nd minute to level at 1-1, showing exactly why Juve had invested in him.
But the drama was far from over. Just seven minutes later, Sassuolo regained the lead through Kieron Bowie, who finished off a well-worked team move to make it 2-1. Zhegrova struck again deep into stoppage time, in the 91st minute, to seemingly rescue a point for Juve with a second goal of his substitute appearance.
Adzic's Moment
With the game apparently heading for a draw, Sassuolo launched one final attack. Juve, pushing forward in search of a winner, were caught on the counter. Adzic, who came through Juventus's youth academy before moving to Sassuolo, collected the ball in his own half and raced forward to score the decisive goal in the 94th minute. The Mapei Stadium erupted as the young winger completed a remarkable comeback and inflicted Juve's first loss of the campaign.
For Spalletti, the defeat was a bitter pill. His side's inability to hold a lead, twice coming from behind only to concede again, raised serious questions about Juventus's defensive resilience. The attacking intent that had characterized the early weeks of Spalletti's reign was notably absent for long stretches, with possession play that was slow and predictable.
Sassuolo, meanwhile, celebrated a landmark victory that showed they can compete with Serie A's elite. Aquilani's side showed character and quality in equal measure, refusing to buckle each time Juventus levelled.
The loss could prove costly for Juve in the title race, with a potential five-point deficit opening up depending on results elsewhere this weekend.
Sources
- https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Serie-A/Juventus/13-09-2026/sassuolo-juventus-live-risultato-e-gol-in-diretta-serie-a.shtml
- https://www.legaseriea.it/serie-a/news/sassuolo-juventus-2026-2027-3-2-cronaca-risultato-gol
