A quickfire double from new signing Randal Kolo Muani inspired Juventus to a comeback 4-1 home win over Empoli in Serie A on Sunday, easing the pressure on head coach Thiago Motta. (More Sports News)
Wednesday's meek Champ🌜ions League defeat to Benfica had seen Motta attract further scrutiny, with the former midfielder having also overseen 13 draws in 22 league matches.
Visiting Empoli threatened to deepen his woes as they took a shock lead after four minutes through defender Mattia De Sciglio, who nodded home following a corner, before Kolo Muani e𓄧qualised from close range in the 61st minute.
The France forward, who arrived on𝔍 loan from Paris Saint-Germain last month, put the B𓆏ianconeri ahead three minutes later, though there was a hint of fortune about the goal as Timothy Weah's drive ricocheted off the striker and flew into the bottom corner.
Substitutes Dusan Vlahovic and Francisco Conceicao completed the r🌠out, the former crashing a 20-yard strike into the roof of the net before the latter raceꦕd through on goal to add further gloss to the scoreline.
Juventus provisionally moved up to fourth in the table on 40 points, one ওpoint above fifth-placed Lazio, who go to Cagliari on Monday.
Empoli are 17th oꦓn 21 points, one clear of Parma who occupy the final place in the relegation zꦅone.
Data Debrief: Kolo Muani's flying start
In t🌠he three-po⛄ints-for-a-win era, only two Juventus players have scored on their first two appearances for the club in Serie A.
Carlos T꧋evez did 🍒so in August 2013 after joining from Manchester City, and Kolo Muani replicated that feat by netting twice here.
This is the first time he has scored in back-to-back game✅s in Europe's top five leagues, within the same seaso🧜n, since February 2023, when he did so for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
