USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie got up close and personal with the highs and lows of Serie A on Wednesday, physically and metaphorically.
McKennie rose high to thunder home an equalizer for hosts Juve against Sassuolo, but was sliding along the grass in a desperate and failed bid to block the winner in Sassuolo’s first-ever away win at The Old Lady.
[ MORE: Man City’s four-year League Cup dominance ends ]
Paulo Dybala’s pinpoint free kick was thumped home by McKennie to put Juve on level terms in the 76th minute.
The point would’ve kept Juve within a win of the top four, but the Serie A powers are not four points back of fourth-place AS Roma and 13 back of leaders AC Milan.
PAULO DYBALA PUTS THE BALL IN AND WESTON MCKENNIE LEVELS IT UP 🇺🇸🍿 pic.twitter.com/7UwKOnAHs9
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 27, 2021
That’s because McKennie found himself the last man back and between a rock and a hard place during stoppage time.
Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi hit a stunning, whirling pass that was just out of McKennie’s reach.
By the time the American realized he wouldn’t be able to stop a brilliant pass, turning to track down Maxime Lopez, it was too late.
Mattia Perin couldn’t come up with a wondersave and Juve went from a point earned to a historic point lost.
MAXIME LOPEZ IN THE 95TH MINUTE 🤯
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 27, 2021
SASSUOLO DEFEAT JUVENTUS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TURIN 😳 pic.twitter.com/J0xdNzAvXB