Randal Kolo Muani scored his first goal of the season as Juventus came from behind to draw 1-1 with high-flying Cagliari, who had taken the lead through Daniel Maldini.
Juventus were without Kenan Yildiz, Khephren Thuram, Manuel Locatelli, Jeremie Boga, Jeff Ekhator, Kamil Grabara and Arkadiusz Milik. Their new goalkeeper Neto was also unavailable as he continued to serve a one-match ban dating from his career in Brazil.
Cagliari went into the match in the stronger league position after winning their previous three matches, and four of their first five rounds. Yael Trepy, Riyad Idrissi and Mattia Felici were absent, while Alessandro Deiola, Kevin Carlos and M’Bala Nzola were not fully fit. Inter-owned Yanis Massolin, however, was handed his Serie A debut.
Juventus showed some threat through Pape Malang Sarr’s early runs from midfield, but they failed to turn possession into clear chances. Weston McKennie sent a Zeki Celik cross back across goal from the by-line, although Nico Gonzalez could not control his effort from six yards.
Cagliari took the lead in the 20th minute, with Maldini marking his birthday by scoring in his fourth consecutive Serie A appearance. He began the move by dispossessing Francisco Conceicao in midfield and then had a shot blocked. The rebound, helped on by Paul Mendy, returned to Maldini, who finished from seven yards.
Guglielmo Vicario then produced an excellent save to tip a fierce Harry Winks effort over the bar. Juventus dominated the ball but offered little in attack, while Nico Gonzalez curled a long-range attempt wide.
Their first effort on target arrived in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when Gonzalez’s free-kick forced Elia Caprile to beat the ball away beneath the crossbar. Juventus had enjoyed 71% possession but had little to show for it.
Kerim Alajbegovic and Edon Zhegrova were introduced after the interval, while Deiola returned less than two weeks after knee surgery. Douglas Luiz saw a low shot comfortably held, but Caprile had to work harder to keep out Zhegrova’s powerful effort from just inside the penalty area.
Cagliari remained dangerous on the counter-attack. Mendy and Alieu Fadera both went close after marginally offside runs while testing Vicario, and another Zhegrova strike from distance took a deflection and went narrowly wide.
Zhegrova later forced Caprile to palm away a curling left-footed effort. From the resulting Alajbegovic corner, the ball went past Jhon Lucumi and Nick Woltemade, who could not turn it in from close range.
Juventus finally levelled in the 81st minute. Kolo Muani moved ahead of Adam Obert at the far post to glance an Alajbegovic cross from the left into the net.
The striker almost completed the turnaround four minutes later, meeting another near-identical delivery but volleying against the underside of the crossbar from five yards.
Andrea Cambiaso tested Caprile at the near post, while Kolo Muani also had a scissor-kick saved after straying marginally offside.
Tempers flared after the final whistle, with Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti and Cagliari boss Fabio Pisacane both shown red cards following an altercation.
