Venezia were greeted with a deafening roar at kick-off from the Stadio Pier Luigi Penzo as top-flight football returned to the venue for the first time since May 2022.
Eager to repay the impassioned home support with a quick goal, the Winged Lions had most of the early play and could have been ahead, if not for Vanja Milinkovic-Savic’s divine intervention. The Serbian goalkeeper, fresh from a last-minute penalty save to deny Atalanta last weekend, was on hand twice to prevent two swerving Hans Nicolussi Caviglia strikes from the edge of the penalty area.
Undefeated and flying high after holding AC Milan and beating Atalanta, Torino soon showed their confidence and cut through Venezia’s backline, leading to a low Che Adams sighter that was heading for the bottom corner before Jesse Joronen’s full stretch save denied the Scottish international.
The Bulls ended the first half stronger, and Duvan Zapata spurned a glorious chance before half-time, sending his header well wide from Valentino Lazaro’s teasing cross.
Chances continued to flow after the break, but the goalkeepers remained on top as Joronen repelled an Ivan Ilic header and Samuele Ricci’s deflected effort to keep the scores level.
Now firmly under pressure, Venezia had to rely on counter-attacking tactics to forge chances, and that tactic nearly paid off when Nicolussi Caviglia almost finished a blistering move from the hosts, but the Juventus loanee couldn’t hold his nerve and fired over from 10 yards.
However, the hosts were denied a second Serie A point of the season in the final minutes when Coco rose highest to head Adam Masina’s corner high into the net.
Former Venezia boss Paolo Vanoli returned to haunt his former side with Torino as the Bulls’ impressive unbeaten start to the 2024/25 campaign continues, sending them, albeit temporarily, to the Serie A summit.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino)