Goals from Danilo and Federico Chiesa earned Juventus a 2-0 victory at Empoli in Serie A on Sunday, with the visitors squandering several other chances, having two efforts disallowed and missing a penalty.
The victory maintains Juventus’s unbeaten start to the season, having earned seven points from their opening three games to sit two points behind leaders Inter Milan and AC Milan.
“It was a good performance against an Empoli side that is not easy to play against,” Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri told reporters.
“We allowed practically nothing at the back, but need to be calmer in the final third or with the final ball, as we were a bit too frenetic.”
Juventus captain Danilo thought he had given them an early advantage with a close-range header.
This was following a corner but the goal was ruled out due to a collision with keeper Etrit Berisha just before the strike.
He did not have to wait long for a goal however as he put the visitors ahead after 24 minutes, deftly sweeping the ball into the net following a scramble after a corner.
Dusan Vlahovic missed a penalty around the half-hour mark, after Youssef Maleh fouled Federico Gatti.
Juventus maintained their dominance in the second half, with Chiesa going close to scoring, sending the ball inches wide of the far post.
They had a second goal chalked off in the 66th minute when Paul Pogba found the net with an elegant volley.
The effort was however ruled out because Vlahovic, who had chested the ball down to him, was offside.
They did manage to double their lead, however, when Arkadiusz Milik’s pass sent Chiesa clear on goal.
Milik then skipped around Berisha’s challenge to slide the ball home and seal the win in the 82nd minute.
Milik nearly scored a third for Juventus in stoppage time, as his header struck the woodwork, while team mate Moise Kean also hit the post shortly after.
After the match, Pogba seemed to be in discomfort, touching the back of his thigh.
“We don’t know anything yet, he felt a twinge at the back, so we’ll see what the tests say,” said Allegri who praised Pogba for his performance.
When asked about Juventus’s ambitions the season, Allegri denied they were favourites for the league title.
“There are teams out there better equipped to win the Scudetto, such as Inter, Napoli and Milan,” he said.
“We must do well to stay as close to them as possible and finish in the top four.”
NAN
