Johnson and Jo were at the heart of City's best moves
By Jon Barbuti
A neat finish by Jo earned Manchester City a point away to Juventus and ensured they advanced to the Europa League last 32 as group winners.
At the end of a poor first half, Juve debutant Niccolo Giannetti nipped in front of Dedryck Boyata to score.
With Lech Poznan winning, City seemed set to finish second in the group and potentially face a tougher draw.
But after 76 minutes, Jo spun on a pass from the excellent Adam Johnson and slotted home a low shot from 12 yards.
Jo, one of only two players retained from the weekend win against West Ham, and Johnson will have been relatively happy with their night's work, but few others shone in a game that often had the feel of a not particularly taxing pre-season friendly.
Both sides already knew their fate in the competition, the starting line-ups were unfamiliar with fringe players getting rare outings and it was all played out in front of a near-empty Olympic Stadium.
Indeed it was easy to imagine both managers switching their thoughts to promising challenges for their domestic titles as soon as the final whistle sounded. Few of the players coming in would have done a great deal to push their case for inclusion - with the notable exception of Johnson.
The former Middlesbrough man showed that he can be a consistent threat when given more than a brief run out late on in matches. Spending spells on both flanks, the winger tormented both full-backs and also impressed when moving inside, threading through balls into Jo and youngster Alex Nimely.
A case in point was Jo's equaliser - the finish was sublime, the Brazilian spinning and shooting past Alex Manninger in an instant, but Johnson was the instigator, cutting in from the right before picking out the run.
In a first half that quickly deteriorated after Jo took too long when presented with a chance inside 60 seconds, Johnson also had a reasonable penalty shout turned down after playing a neat give-and-go and, far more than either James Milner or Shaun Wright-Phillips, acted as a link between midfield and attack.
But for all his probing and the nous of Alessandro Del Piero for the hosts, chances were few and far between until a much-improved second half.
And when first-half chances did come they were wasted, even Del Piero guilty as he failed to get the ball out from under his feet with Simone Pepe waiting in space inside the area.
Before the break City also had optimistic shouts for a penalty turned down after Johnson's run got blocked off and Liberian forward Nimely, making his first start, headed against the post from an offside position but they were rare highlights. The opening goal, when it arrived on 43 minutes, came as a shock.
The goal owed as much to Del Piero's composure as it did to some poor City defending. Micah Richards failed to get tight enough to the veteran striker and when the cross came in Boyata was far too slow to react as Giannetti marked his debut by flicking home.
The 19-year-old striker could have doubled the lead shortly after the break - narrowly missing Armand Traore's superb cross - while Felipe Melo and Milos Krasic tested Shay Given from distance.
But as the half wore on City slowly turned the tide and should have had a penalty when Nimely's goal-bound shot struck Giorgio Chiellini. As with most moves, the man creating the chance was Johnson and the 23-year-old was also the man playing the ball through when Jo was unlucky to see an effort from eight yards ruled out for offside.
With Juventus retreating, Milner and Wright-Phillips tried their luck with ambitious efforts, Wright-Phillips trying an overhead kick from 15 yards before the equaliser arrived through a more composed piece of play.
Cutting in from the right, Johnson drew his man before playing in Jo, the striker then showing he could push for more regular inclusion by controlling on the turn before firing home to ensure City progressed from Group A as winners ahead of Lech Poznan.
On another night, with more at stake, City might then have pushed for a winner, but with the Blues third in the Premier League and the Old Lady second in Serie A the final 10 minutes were uneventful with minds on more important matters.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini:
"It was very important to finish top of the group. We have a chance to go all the way, but it is important to have a good draw for the next round, and after that we will see.
"I did not expect to play against such a strong Juventus team. Our players showed good character, and we hope to carry on like this. But in the end I think we deserved a draw, minimum.
"[Speaking about Jo] I have known him for five years.
"He played against Inter in the Champions League and scored two goals. He was young, but he was a good player, and he is still a good player.
"He played the last two games for us and did not score. But he has done very well, so I am pleased he has scored."
90:00+1:57 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
90:00+1:06 Substitution Shaun Wright-Phillips leaves the field to be replaced by Chris Chantler.
89:47 Shot from outside the box by Shaun Wright-Phillips misses to the left of the target.
86:35 Strike on goal comes in from Adam Johnson from the free kick.
86:35 Booking Mohamed Sissoko is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
86:30 James Milner fouled by Mohamed Sissoko, the ref awards a free kick.
85:18 Wayne Bridge takes a short corner.
84:39 Zdenek Grygera challenges Patrick Vieira unfairly and gives away a free kick. Patrick Vieira takes the free kick.
83:08 Alessandro Del Piero fouled by Patrick Vieira, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Giorgio Chiellini.
77:52 Substitution Marcel Buchel joins the action as a substitute, replacing Nicolo Giannetti.
77:52 De Carvalho Felipe Melo concedes a free kick for a foul on James Milner. James Milner shoots direct from the free kick.
77:17 Booking De Carvalho Felipe Melo is shown a yellow card for dissent.
75:41 The assist for the goal came from Adam Johnson.
75:41 GOAL - Joao Alves Jo:Juventus 1 - 1 Man City Joao Alves Jo fires in a goal from inside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Juventus 1-1 Man City.
75:18 The assistant referee flags for offside against Alessandro Del Piero. Shay Given takes the free kick.
74:17 Adam Johnson produces a cross, Shot from deep inside the area by Shaun Wright-Phillips goes over the bar.
73:52 Booking Pablo Zabaleta receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
73:16 Shot from just outside the box by Alessandro Del Piero goes over the bar.
72:27 Pablo Zabaleta gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on De Carvalho Felipe Melo. De Carvalho Felipe Melo takes the
free kick.
70:19 Joao Alves Jo is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Alex Manninger.
69:51 James Milner takes a outswinging corner.
65:59 Substitution Filippo Boniperti comes on in place of Armand Traore.
65:33 James Milner has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
61:49 Alessandro Del Piero takes the inswinging corner, Header from deep inside the area by Mohamed Sissoko goes harmlessly over
the crossbar.
61:29 Simone Pepe produces a cross.
60:09 Substitution Alex Nimely goes off and Pablo Zabaleta comes on.
59:37 Corner taken by Simone Pepe from the left by-line.
58:03 Alex Nimely takes a shot. Save by Alex Manninger.
57:14 Shaun Wright-Phillips challenges Alessandro Del Piero unfairly and gives away a free kick. Strike comes in from Alessandro
Del Piero from the free kick.
55:41 Outswinging corner taken by Alessandro Del Piero, De Carvalho Felipe Melo crosses the ball.
55:41 Substitution Vincenzo Camilleri joins the action as a substitute, replacing Milos Krasic.
55:21 Milos Krasic takes a shot. Save by Shay Given.
53:01 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Adam Johnson.
52:41 The ball is delivered by Joao Alves Jo.
52:06 De Carvalho Felipe Melo takes a shot. Save by Shay Given.
50:03 Joao Alves Jo is ruled offside. Alex Manninger takes the direct free kick.
47:58 Armand Traore crosses the ball.
45:51 Shot from just outside the area by Armand Traore goes over the bar.
45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
Half Time
44:22 The players leave the pitch at half time.
42:51 Alessandro Del Piero provided the assist for the goal.
42:51 GOAL - Nicolo Giannetti:Juventus 1 - 0 Man City Nicolo Giannetti gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal.
Juventus 1-0 Man City.
42:49 A cross is delivered by Alessandro Del Piero,
39:00 Dedryk Boyata gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Simone Pepe. Alessandro Del Piero restarts play with the free
kick, Mohamed Sissoko takes a shot.
37:00 Shaun Wright-Phillips crosses the ball, Alex Nimely takes a shot.
36:37 Adam Johnson takes a short corner.
36:19 Outswinging corner taken by James Milner.
35:59 Joao Alves Jo delivers the ball.
34:25 Shaun Wright-Phillips takes a shot. Alex Manninger makes a save.
32:11 Inswinging corner taken by Alessandro Del Piero from the left by-line, save by Shay Given.
31:00 Alessandro Del Piero takes a shot. Blocked by Dedryk Boyata.
29:47 Centre by Joao Alves Jo.
26:18 The assistant referee flags for offside against Alessandro Del Piero. Free kick taken by Shay Given.
24:22 The official flags Alex Nimely offside. Free kick taken by Simone Pepe.
23:28 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nicolo Giannetti on Patrick Vieira. Patrick Vieira restarts play with the free kick.
22:08 De Carvalho Felipe Melo takes a shot. Jerome Boateng gets a block in.
14:53 Shot by Alessandro Del Piero from just outside the area goes over the net.
14:06 Corner taken by Alessandro Del Piero from the right by-line.
13:35 The referee blows for offside. Alex Manninger takes the direct free kick.
12:15 Armand Traore challenges Adam Johnson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Adam Johnson delivers the ball, Headed effort from
inside the box by Shaun Wright-Phillips misses to the right of the target.
11:20 Inswinging corner taken by Armand Traore from the left by-line.
10:58 Alessandro Del Piero takes a shot. Blocked by Micah Richards.
8:34 Foul by Patrick Vieira on Mohamed Sissoko, free kick awarded. De Carvalho Felipe Melo takes the free kick.
8:10 The ball is delivered by Nicolo Giannetti, Shay Given makes a save.
5:57 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by James Milner, Zdenek Grygera makes a clearance.
5:47 James Milner produces a cross, Mohamed Sissoko manages to make a clearance.
4:53 Adam Johnson delivers the ball, save by Alex Manninger.
4:34 The ball is sent over by Nicola Legrottaglie.
2:51 Joao Alves Jo is ruled offside. Giorgio Chiellini takes the direct free kick.
1:39 Corner from left by-line taken by Adam Johnson.
0:00 The match has kicked off.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
Bookmark with:
What are these?