Juventus 1 : 1 Lecce - Juve lead cut after draw

Posted Wednesday, May 02, 2012 by PA

Juventus saw their Serie A lead over AC Milan cut to a single point with two games to go after substitute Andrea Bertolacci struck a dramatic late equaliser for 10-man Lecce in a 1-1 draw at the Juventus Arena.

Claudio Marchisio's early header looked to have set Antonio Conte's men on their way to retaining their three-point advantage and the points looked secure when Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the 54th minute.

But the relegation-threatened visitors drew level when Bertolacci fired home five minutes from time to maintain his side's slim hope of avoiding relegation.

The home side had pressed from the start and grabbed the lead in the eighth minute when Marchisio headed home from an Andrea Pirlo cross.

Juventus pressed for a second goal, with Lecce keeper Massimiliano Benassi saving an Arturo Vidal effort in the 11th minute and also holding a long-range effort from Fabio Quagliarella.

Vidal and Giorgio Chiellini both came close and Marchisio brought another long-range save out of Benassi, before Cuadrado had a rare chance for Lecce when he fired a long-range free-kick over the bar.

Cuadrado was dismissed for a professional foul early in the second half but after Benassi saved from Vidal on the hour, the Colombian's dismissal appeared to spark the visitors into life.

Davide Brivio shot just wide and Manuel Blasi fired a left-foot effort just over the bar before Juventus substitute Alessandro Matri almost sealed victory with a shot from a tight angle which was saved by Benassi.

The nervous hosts were finally made to pay five minutes from time when veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon blundered with the ball at his feet and allowed Bertolacci to roll the ball into an empty net.