SERIE A: Iling-Junior scores in first Juventus start in 2-0 win over Atalanta

Samuel Iling-Junior marked his first Serie A start with a goal as Juventus went second in the table with a 2-0 win at Atalanta.

The English teenager fired home the opener before Dusan Vlahovic made the points safe in stoppage time, lifting the Bianconeri above Inter and Lazio in the race for Champions League qualification.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side made it back-to-back Serie A victories despite spending long periods under pressure at Gewiss Stadium, with Atalanta registering 24 shots with no reward and twice hitting the woodwork.

The hosts thus missed their opportunity to close the gap on the top four, to which they remain five points adrift.

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Atalanta almost gifted Juventus the lead in the 22nd minute as Angel Di Maria pounced on Teun Koopmeiners’ loose pass before shooting wide of the far post, while Arkadiusz Milik sent a header off target.

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Juventus survived a couple of huge scares before the break. Giorgio Scalvini’s header hit the post from Koopmeiners’ corner before Mario Pasalic fired over from 12 yards in first-half stoppage time.

But the visitors broke the deadlock 11 minutes after the restart. Iling-Junior stole possession and fed Adrien Rabiot, before reacting quickest to fire into the roof of the net after the midfielder’s cross ricocheted into his path.

Atalanta looked to respond with substitute Luis Muriel shooting wide from distance, while Wojciech Szczesny beat away Koopmeiners’ fierce free-kick and Davide Zappacosta stuck the foot of the post from the edge of the area.

After keeping their opponents at bay, Juve sealed the points in the dying moments. Federico Chiesa raced away on the counter before feeding Vlahovic, who whipped a wonderful 20-yard strike into the top-right corner.