Thiago Motta's Juventus finally saw their unbeaten Serie A run end on Saturday, falling to Napoli after several months without a loss.
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Napoli defeat Juventus 2-1Weston McKennie deployed at right backFirst loss of Serie A season for JuveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. international Weston McKennie and Juventus were defeated 2-1 by Antonio Conte's Napoli on Saturday, with the suffering their first loss of the Serie A campaign to the league leaders.
McKennie was deployed at right back throughout the match, while international compatriot Tim Weah went as an unused substitute on the bench.
The opened the scoring through new loanee Randal Kolo Muani just on the brink of halftime, but an equalizer from Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and an eventual game-winning penalty kick from Romelu Lukaku saw them undone in the second half.
McKennie played 90 minutes, completing 85 percent of his passes and logging 58 touches.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Juventus had undergone an undefeated domestic regular season campaign until Saturday's loss, with Thiago Motta's men sporting a record of 8-13-0 (WDL) heading into the match. The were looking to become the first Serie A team since their 2011-12 roster to complete a campaign without a loss in a 38-game season.
The irony of the moment is that the club that went unbeaten nearly 15 years ago was managed by Napoli's Conte; meaning, the Italian manager kept his longstanding record as the first and only manager to keep a team unbeaten across a Serie A campaign by defeating the on Saturday.
DID YOU KNOW?
McKennie has played multiple positions for Juventus this season, including left back, right back, central midfield and as a center defensive mid. He's shown his versatility across the board for the Italian side, despite primarily honing his trade as an No. 8.
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?
The are back in action on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League when they host Portuguese powerhouse Benfica in the final match of the Group Stage. As things stand, Juve sit 17th in the standings and are set to be a part of the Knockout Stage Playoffs ahead of the next round.