Juventus 3-1 Chievo: Juve back to winning ways

Sunday February 16 2014

Juventus returned to winning ways by defeating Chievo 3-1 in Antonio Conte's 100th match at the helm to move 12 points clear of Roma at the top of Serie A,

The reigning champions triumphed under the former Italy international for the 70th time in the league to continue their perfect home record this season.

Conte's side controlled the first half, which was highlighted by Kwadwo Asamoah's stunning goal.

Asamoah nipped in between two Chievo players after a darting run and then finished a one-two with Fernando Llorente with a superb 20-yard curling effort.

Claudio Marchisio tapped in to double Juve's lead, although Chievo got back into the game in bizarre circumstances, as Stephan Lichtsteiner's clearance hit Martin Caceres and went in.

Juve had let a two-goal lead slip against Chievo's local rivals Verona last week, but Llorente's header calmed nerves and sealed the result.

The hosts, without Giorgio Chiellini because of a calf problem, started brightly despite Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba dropping to the bench.

Llorente and Andrea Pirlo shot over in the first 10 minutes before Asamoah's effort in the 17th minute left Chievo goalkeeper Michael Agazzi, on debut after a move from Cagliari, with no chance.

Llorente then curled against the crossbar, although it would not have counted thanks to a foul in the build up, before Agazzi's day went from bad to worse.

The 29-year-old spilled a routine free kick from Pirlo that bounced in front of him, and Marchisio benefited, stealing in ahead of Gennaro Sardo to tap in from close range.

A promising Boukary Drame run amounted to nothing for Chievo, which almost found itself three goals down after the break when Leonardo Bonucci was agonizingly close to meeting a Pirlo free kick at the far post after Cyril Thereau's inadvertent flick on.

The Turin crowd was silenced in the 51st minute though as, under pressure, Lichtsteiner smashed a clearance into the backside of Caceres, leaving Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon stranded as the ball looped into the net.

Before any jitters could creep in, however, the league leaders restored their two-goal advantage seven minutes later, as a Pirlo corner - which came after a dangerous free kick of his was tipped wide - was nodded in by Llorente, after Agazzi came for the ball and missed it.

Pablo Daniel Osvaldo - making his home debut - and Tevez came off the bench in the latter stages for Juve, but the Southampton loanee could only blaze over from close range with a late chance.

It mattered little though as Juventus celebrated Conte's milestone in style.

Source: Goal

Read by 813 person