Juventus begin Europa League campaign with 5-0 thrashing of NEC Nijmegen

[p][b]The hosts, looking to bounce back from a shock 3-2 defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sassuolo/QDdvI0zl/"]Sassuolo[/a] at the weekend, needed only nine minutes to take the lead. They had opposing goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/polster-nikolas/zmPqloSh/"]Nikolas Polster[/a] to thank for a horrific error, as the 24-year-old charged off his line to reach a long, hopeful punt forward, only to be beaten to it by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gonzalez-nicolas/ID3evg0L/"]Nico Gonzalez[/a], who converted into an empty net. [/b][/p][p]The Dutch side looked to hit back through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lebreton-noe/nTSAxkMK/"]Noe Lebreton[/a], who spun sharply in the area and saw a fierce shot saved.[/p][p][b]The action soon returned to the other end though, and after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/woltemade-nick/4YDUd1at/"]Nick Woltemade[/a] had been denied by Polster, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alajbegovic-kerim/4WqOzLUF/"]Kerim Alajbegovic[/a] doubled the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Bianconeri[/a]’s lead with a glorious strike from 20 yards out that arrowed into the top corner.[/b][/p][embed guid="bdc3298c-f1ca-46cd-8334-d7105b659e74" url="https://x.com/juventusfcen/status/2100671222136664100" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Things then went from bad to worse for the visitors, who found themselves 3-0 down in the 35th minute when Woltemade clinically converted from the penalty spot after Gonzalez was felled by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kabar-almugera/p0pBEofo/"]Almugera Kabar[/a].[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thomas-ayodele/SI4WoTmc/"]Ayodele Thomas[/a] tried his luck from distance as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nijmegen/nRluRF0T/"]NEC[/a] looked to pull one back before the break, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/geiger-dennis/GtZAyRi8/"]Dennis Geiger[/a] missed the target upon the resumption of play.[/p][p]The game was already up though, with Juventus largely able to go through the motions, and Luciano Spalletti was even able to make a trio of substitutes on the hour mark, perhaps with one eye on his side's weekend clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atalanta/8C9JjMXu/"]Atalanta[/a] in Serie A.[/p][p][b]The hosts were still able to add a fourth in the 75th minute when summer signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/celik-zeki/KG2a47J4/"]Zeki Celik[/a] converted from merely inches out as he was picked out by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kolo-muani-randal/WKBRZ6Y6/"]Randal Kolo Muani[/a], whose low cross took Polster out of the game. [/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chico-conceicao/n53v4sSd/"]Francisco Conceicao[/a] then whipped just past the far post, before Kolo Muani bagged his first of the season. Again, Polster came bolting out of his goal for a long ball and got nowhere near it, meaning the former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] man could walk it into the net.[/b][/p][p]The result means Juve have now won 11 of their 14 home games against Dutch opposition, whereas NEC Nijmegen - who had a late Thomas strike saved - are now winless in four matches across all competitions.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kolo-muani-randal/WKBRZ6Y6/"]Randal Kolo Muani[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/juventus/C06aJvIB/"]Juventus[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/juventus-C06aJvIB/nijmegen-nRluRF0T/?mid=p0ewz3p9"]Click here for more on the match[/a][/b][/p][image alt="Match stats" id="577be0df-c281-42fb-ac6d-c2a2e9c5b7fb" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="7b679ab8-1955-4ec8-b0d4-4aefaa98f411" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /]