Teun Koopmeiners scores twice as Juventus is held to a draw in Serie A

In a thrilling Italian Serie A clash between Juventus and Atalanta, it was Teun Koopmeiners who stole the show with his clinical finishing. The Dutch midfielder, wearing the number 07 shirt, celebrated after scoring a crucial goal that helped Atalanta secure a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on March 10, 2024.

For Massimiliano Allegri, it was yet another disappointing result as his Juventus side let another lead slip away. This marked their sixth game in seven where they dropped points, resulting in them slipping down to third place in the table. On the other hand, Atalanta will also be disappointed not to have taken all three points back to Bergamo, as the draw does little to improve their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.

From the start of the match, Juventus piled on the pressure but failed to produce any clinical finishes in the first half. Their best chances, which all came from free kicks, were wasted as both Federico Chiesa and Fabio Miretti saw their efforts blocked by the wall.

In contrast, Atalanta showed their prowess when given a similar opportunity. Gianluca Scamacca appeared ready to shoot, but instead, Mario Pasalic cleverly laid it off to Teun Koopmeiners, who confidently struck the ball into the Juventus net, fooling the defending team.

The second half saw both teams come out with guns blazing, resulting in an intense 10-minute period where three goals were scored. Juventus equalized through Andrea Cambiaso, who finished off a lightning-fast move initiated by Federico Chiesa and continued by Weston McKennie. Two minutes later, the home side thought they had secured the winner when McKennie chested down the ball to Arkadiusz Milik, who powered it past an unsighted Marco Carnesecchi.

However, Atalanta’s heads did not drop, and they continued to fight. Their equalizer came unexpectedly but was well-deserved as Koopmeiners expertly found the back of the net from Berat Djimsiti’s pass. Both teams had opportunities to snatch a late winner, but the 2-2 draw accurately reflected the match they played.

One of the talking points from the game was the underwhelming performance of Juventus and their manager, Max Allegri. Allegri had previously stated that he did not consider his side to be title contenders, and their display against Atalanta only reinforced this belief. The team lacked bite in the final third, composure in the first, and overall cohesion throughout the pitch. Despite having talented players, Juventus seemed disjointed and played it safe, ultimately delivering too little. It is unlikely that they will receive any accolades during the Serie A awards season.

The standout player of the match was undoubtedly Teun Koopmeiners. Scouts from the Premier League and other leagues were reportedly in attendance, and Koopmeiners showcased why he was attracting such attention. His clinical finishing and intent were evident throughout the game, as he scored two difficult goals by making quick decisions and sticking to his mission. If given more opportunities, Koopmeiners could have propelled his team to a higher position in European competition. Regardless, it is likely that he will soon be making a move to a bigger stage.

Player ratings for Juventus saw Szczesny with a rating of 5, Gatti with 6, Bremer with 6, Danilo with 7, Cambiaso with 6, McKennie with 7, Locatelli with 6, Miretti with 6, Iling-Jr with 6, Milik with 6, and Chiesa with 5. The substitutes, Sandro, Yildiz, Kean, Weah, and Nicolussi Cavigilia, all received ratings ranging from 5 to 6.