Defiant Vlahovic shoots Juventus to victory at Genoa

Dusan Vlahovic fired Juventus to a 1-0 win at Genoa on Sunday, the Serbia striker netting for the second time in as many games after being taken off the transfer list.

Juventus, on six points, were struggling to break down spirited Genoa until substitute Vlahovic headed home Filip Kostic’s corner when left completely unmarked in the 73rd minute.

Vlahovic looked destined to be sold in the summer as Juve brought in Jonathan David and pushed to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain.

But on Thursday sporting director Damien Comolli said that there was a “99 percent chance” that Vlahovic would stay at Juve and the 25-year-old rewarded the Turin giants with the winning goal at the Stadio Liuigi Ferraris.

Vlahovic stood defiantly facing Juve’s delirious support with his arms aloft, as he did when scoring against Parma last weekend, after managing to stay at the club that spent 70 million euros to snatch him from Fiorentina in January 2022.

His 60th goal for Juve was the highlight from a keenly-contested match and put Juve level with champions Napoli, Roma and promoted Cremonese on a perfect points tally.

However Juve escaped being pegged back in the final seconds of the game as Patrizio Masini’s looping head struck the crossbar.

Inter can become the fifth team on six points with a win over Udinese at the San Siro later on Sunday.

Fiorentina played out a drab goalless draw at Torino in the other of the day’s early kick-offs.