Carlos Tevez helps Juventus restore 14-point lead on top of Serie A with 2-0 win over Empoli

Argentine forward Carlos Tevez fired a first half goal and created another just at the last minute to help Italian club Juventus restore their 14-point lead at the top of Serie A with their 2-0 win over Empoli.

The Argentine striker fired in from eight yards just before half-time from Arturo Vidal's indirect free-kick and then set up Roberto Pereyra's goal, which made sure of the win in the final seconds after keeper Luigi Sepe had beaten out a Tevez shot.

However, with midfielder Vidal limping off in the second half, it could be concerning for Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri, the BBC reported.

With Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio all absent with long-term injuries, Allegri can hardly afford to lose another midfielder ahead of his side's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Monaco on 14 April.

Juventus' lead had been cut earlier on Saturday by second-placed Roma, who beat Napoli 1-0 and they needed a bit of luck to go in front against mid-table Empoli, benefiting from a debatable decision by referee Piero Giacomelli.

Keeper Sepe conceded a free-kick for handling a backpass from defender Daniele Rugani that was ruled, harshly, to have been deliberate and then Vidal played the ball short for Tevez to strike into the roof of the net.

Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon twice denied Manuel Pucciarelli a second-half equalizer.

However, Empoli's hopes of a point were ended in stoppage time, as Tevez surged 30 yards to fire a shot that Sepe deflected straight into the path of substitute Pereyra, who obliged with a goal.