Manchester City claimed top spot in Europa League Group A after a 1-1 draw with Juventus in Turin on Thursday.
Teenager Niccolo Giannetti put the hosts in front just before half-time at the Stadio Olimpico, but the only occasionally-used Jo scored a fine leveller to ensure that Juventus, who were already eliminated before the City clash, finished their group campaign with six draws from six games.
City boss Roberto Mancini partnered Jo with youngster Alex Nimely in attack as rabble-rouser Carlos Tevez and Italian international Mario Balotelli were left at home, and it was Jo who had the first chance, the Brazilian forward’s effort blocked after good attacking play from Micah Richards.
The visitors were the more attacking in the early stages and James Milner wanted a penalty when his cross from the left hit the raised arm of Juve legend Alessandro Del Piero, but Hungarian referee Istvan Vad waved play on.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger then had to turn away a hazardous Mohamed Sissoko back pass, while Nimely headed wide in further City chances.
It was proving to be no classic though, with the English side drifting back out of the game and Juve short on chances too, though Dedryck Boyata was needed to deflect a Del Piero effort behind after some fine individual play from the old-stager.
When the Old Lady did get forward it was Del Piero who always looked the most dangerous, sending another effort over Shay Given’s bar, and then trying to play in the unmarked Simone Pepe on the left before Shaun Wright-Phillips raced back to avert the danger.
And Del Piero was involved when Juve took the lead with a goal from the blue two minutes before the break. He just managed to dig out a couple of yards of space on the left, giving him the time to pick out his cross to Giannetti, who got in front of Boyata to turn the ball past Given.
With Lech Poznan winning at Salzburg at half-time, City were now in second place in the group but knew a draw would be enough for top spot, so Mancini’s men hunted the equaliser after the restart. Jo was just wide straight away with a header and he then did find the net after collecting an Adam Johnson pass, but the offside flag had been raised.
Given, a man who has had so few chances at club level this season, did very well to deny a whipped effort from Serbian star Milos Krasic and also held a Felipe Melo drive.
At the other end Milner blazed wide for City and Nimely wanted a penalty when the hand of Giorgio Chiellini looked to have blocked his goalbound effort. Nothing was given and the youngster was soon withdrawn for defender Pablo Zabaleta.
That did not mean their mind was any less focused on the equaliser though and it duly came with 13 minutes to play. Jo had just meekly surrendered the ball to Manninger from a Milner through-ball, but Johnson found the space to play him in again 12 yards out and he expertly turned and smashed the ball beyond Manninger from the centre of the area.
The remainder saw City keep the ball well with neither side furnishing any real chance of a winner. The visitors march on as one of the top seeds, as fallen giants Juventus are left to focus on domestic matters for the rest of their campaign.