The Italian Super Cup semi-finals saw a match between Juventus and AC Milan. Juventus has had a peculiar record this season in the league, with 11 draws out of 18 matches, winning the other 7 to remain undefeated, but their ranking is somewhat low at 6th place. In the Champions League, Juventus achieved a moderate record of 3 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss. This time, on the Italian Super Cup stage, Juventus faced a strong AC Milan. The two teams have drawn in their last two encounters. However, this time, Juventus fell and was eliminated after a dramatic comeback!
Juventus lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation for the game. Vlahovic led the attack. The attacking trio of Ildiz, Kupmenas, and Mbangula worked together. Locatelli and Thuram formed the double pivot in midfield. Savona, Gatti, Kalulu, and McKennie started as the four defenders. Di Gregorio was the starting goalkeeper. Weah, Gonzalez, Conceicao, and Cambiasso were on standby on the bench.
Juventus started off relatively smoothly, with Ildiz scoring in the 20th minute. The 19-year-old Ildiz is the second youngest goalscorer in the Italian Super Cup, only behind Balotelli. Vlahovic had a chance to extend the lead, but his close-range shot went wide, wasting Ildiz's fine pass. Trailing in score, Milan fought back fiercely, and Lady Luck also smiled upon them. Pulisic equalized from the penalty spot, and Musa's cross led to Gatti's own goal. Milan scored twice in four minutes to complete the comeback. The final score was set at 1-2, and Juventus was eliminated.
It's truly bizarre that Juventus was eliminated in such a manner. A penalty and an own goal, such a plot made Motta incredulous. Juventus' unbeaten record of 14 games came to an end. AC Milan's new coach, Conceicao, performed a miracle, directing a comeback drama, leading AC Milan into the final.
In this game, apart from Ildiz and Mbangula, the performances of other Juventus players were not up to par. Especially Vlahovic, who played poorly, with only one shot throughout the game, and it was not on target. Goalkeeper Di Gregorio made only two saves, conceding two goals. The second goal conceded had elements of luck, but also his own positioning issue, being too far forward, which led to him being unable to recover from a deflection.