ALESSANDRIA, Italy (Interstat) — A stoppage-time goal from substitute Gabriele Gori delivered a dramatic 1-0 victory for Juventus Next Gen over Ascoli Calcio 1898 FC in a Serie C match on Saturday, defying a pregame projection that had favored the visitors.

The match, played at the Stadio Giuseppe Moccagatta, appeared destined for a draw after a 65th-minute penalty kick from Ascoli’s Simone Guerra was saved, keeping the game scoreless. The breakthrough finally came deep into added time. In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Gori found the net to secure all three points for the home side, sparking wild celebrations among the Juventus reserve squad and its supporters.

The result marked a significant shift in momentum for both clubs in Italy’s third division. Ascoli entered the contest having won its previous match and holding a slightly better record in the competition. Juventus Next Gen, the development team of the Turin giants, had been inconsistent but was coming off a road victory the prior weekend.

The game’s pivotal moment initially seemed to arrive in the 65th minute when Ascoli was awarded a penalty. Guerra, who had scored in Ascoli’s win the previous week, stepped up but saw his attempt thwarted by the Juventus Next Gen goalkeeper. The missed opportunity proved costly as the home team grew into the match late.

Ascoli’s attack, which had produced five goals in a single game earlier this season, was kept in check throughout the evening. The visitors now see their Serie C record move to five wins, four losses and four draws. The defeat halts their modest positive momentum and adds a frustrating chapter to a season that has included heavy wins but also several scoreless draws.

For Juventus Next Gen, the dramatic win levels their league ledger at four wins, four losses and four draws, pulling them even with Ascoli in the standings on points. The manner of the victory, secured at the death, provides a mental boost for a young squad that has struggled for consistency, as evidenced by a mix of wins, losses and draws in its recent fixture list.

The outcome was a reversal of the pregame analytics. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 1-0 victory for Ascoli. Furthermore, the same service’s ELO rating system had given Juventus Next Gen a 61.2 percent probability of winning, making the narrow, late victory a statistical anomaly realized on the pitch.

Both teams now hold identical records across all competitions this season. The victory allows Juventus Next Gen to build on its result from Jan. 11, while Ascoli must regroup after seeing a potential road point vanish in the final seconds. The Serie C campaign continues next weekend with both teams looking to turn these parallel records in opposite directions.