Juve stun Napoli 3-0 to close gap on Roma

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AFP Turin
Last Updated : Nov 11 2013 | 10:10 AM IST
Juventus pounced on a costly blunder by Roma to close the gap on the Serie A leaders to just one point after turning on the style to rout fellow title challengers Napoli 3-0 here.
League newcomers Sassuolo yesterday stunned Roma at the Olympic Stadium by levelling in second-half injury time for a 1-1 draw to leave Rudi Garcia's leaders with just a four-point lead ahead of the top-of-the-table clash in Turin.
It gave both sides incentive, but Juve seized on home advantage to produce a dominant display and claim their 10th win of the campaign to close the gap to one point.
Spain striker Fernando Llorente tapped home for Juve in the second minute in somewhat controversial fashion and from then on Napoli struggled to find any rhythm.
Napoli coach Rafael Benitez hinted that Llorente's early goal had shell-shocked his side, but admitted he could not argue with the Bianconeri's two other "quality" goals.
"When you concede a goal so quickly in this stadium, it's never easy to get back into the match," Benitez told Sky Sport Italia. "But in the second half Juve scored two quality goals."
Juve missed several clear chances but made the difference in six second-half minutes when Andrea Pirlo curled a free kick past Pepe Reina and Paul Pogba beat the keeper with a stunning volley from at least 20 metres out 10 minutes from the whistle.
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First Published: Nov 11 2013 | 10:10 AM IST

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