Football
2016-17 Italian Serie A
JUV 
2
FT
 EMP
0
PA Sport 7y

Juventus defeat Empoli to open 10-point lead in Serie A

Juventus extended their lead at the top of Serie A to 10 points with a 2-0 win over Empoli in Turin.

With Roma not in action until they head to the San Siro on Sunday evening to tackle Inter Milan, Massimiliano Allegri's men took full advantage as a second-half brace finally overcame the visitors, who are battling for points at the other end of the table.

Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic both saw first-half chances squandered before the Bianconeri finally made the breakthrough on 52 minutes.

Juan Cuadrado clipped the ball into the Empoli penalty area from the right, where Mandzukic arrived to send a point-blank header goalwards.

Lukasz Skorupski pushed the ball up onto the bar, only for it to then deflect back in off the unfortunate keeper for an own goal as he fell to the floor.

Juventus killed the game off with a second just after the hour mark, when Brazilian Alex Sandro spun Empoli defender Vincent Laurini to fire a low shot into the far corner.

Substitute Paulo Dybala thought he had tapped in a third soon after coming on, but the close-range effort was ruled out for offside against Higuain as he cut the ball back from a rebound.

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