17 December 2017
It was three goals and three points today for the Bianconeri as a goal and an assist from Miralem Pjanic led Juve to a comfortable 3-0 win away to Bologna.
The win leaves Massimiliano Allegri’s side within a point of the top spot in Serie A and continues the ever-growing clean sheet streak to six games and over 500 minutes without a goal allowed.
After a cagey start, the match roared to life on 27 minutes when Pjanic stepped up to a free kick at the corner of the box. The Bosnian curled a classic strike that goalkeeper Antonio Mirante got a touch to but couldn’t keep out of the net to put Juve up 1-0. It was Pjanic’s fourth goal of the season in all competitions and a Serie A-best 14th free kick goal all-time for Pjanic.
Ten minutes later, Juventus doubled the lead with Pjanic the architect rather than the goal scorer this time. A beautiful chipped ball over the top to Mario Mandzukic saw the Croatian chest down, take a bounce and fire a strike low into the corner in the 36th minute.
The goal is Mandzukic’s sixth in all competitions and saw Juve take a 2-0 lead into the half-time break.
In the second half, Juventus kept their foot on the gas and made it 3-0 in the 64th minute. A ball into the Bologna box was only partially cleared and Blaise Matuidi blasted a left-footed volley into the corner for his first goal in Juventus colors.
Juve nearly found a fourth on multiple occasions from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, but would run out 3-0 winners on Sunday afternoon in Bologna. The clean sheet is Juve’s sixth consecutive in all competitions and fourth straight in Serie A.
Next up for the Bianconeri is a Wednesday night tilt against Genoa as Juventus enters this year’s Coppa Italia while they will play their last Serie A match before Christmas on Saturday 23 December at home to Roma.
