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Udinese 0-2 Juve: a perfect ten

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Udinese 0-2 Juve: a perfect ten
Udinese 0-2 Juve: a perfect ten
Udinese 0-2 Juve: a perfect ten

Juve kept up their 100% start to the season with a dominant display at Udinese to head into the international break with ten consecutive wins on the board. First-half goals by Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristiano Ronaldo put the Bianconeri in the driving seat before they comfortably saw out the second half.

BENTANCUR BREAKS HIS DUCK

With Udinese content to sit back and wait on the edge of their area, Juve sought to exploit the wide areas with Joao Cancelo and Alex Sandro and played a high pressing game to win the ball back as quickly as possible.

The Bianconeri were dominating the game yet after 20 minutes only had a Ronaldo header and a Miralem Pjanic shot – both off target – to show for their efforts.

The hosts were holding firm as Juve bided their time for the right moment to strike – which came soon after the half-hour mark, ironically following an Udinese corner.

Wojciech Szczesny claimed the ball and quickly launched a counter-attack. Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala and Bentancur all got involved before the Uruguayan spread play out to Cancelo and darted into the box, where he met the incoming cross with a well-timed header. Juve had the lead and Bentancur had his first goal for the club.

RONALDO ROCKET DOUBLES THE LEAD

Juve might have extended their advantage just three minutes later but Simone Scuffet somehow kept out Mario Mandukic's firm finish from close range.

Another minute passed and the second goal did come – with Mandzukic at the heart of it. The Croat collected Alex Sandro's long ball forward and held it up well before playing back to Ronaldo. The Portuguese instantly lashed home inside the far post leaving Scuffet with no chance.

UDINESE LOOK FOR A WAY BACK

The second goal forced Udinese to come out of their shell and they did succeed in creating a few openings. Antonin Barak hit the post with a low drive from the edge of the box before the break while Kevin Lasagna hit a weak effort from close range after the restart which Alex Sandro cleared.

Juventus were less aggressive than in the first half but still looked dangerous whenever they broke forward. Dybala weaved his way through the Udinese rearguard only to shoot high and wide.

BIANCONERI DOMINANC

Juve remained very much in control of proceedings and Ronaldo had the chance to make it 3-0 after exchanging passes with Mandzukic but hit it centrally. He then teed up Federico Bernardeschi (who had come on for Dybala), the Italian struck it hard but Scuffet got down well to make a smart save.

Mandzukic went close while down the other end Ignacio Pussetto forced a save out of Szczesny.

A fine Juve move involving Pjanic, Ronaldo and Mandzukic ended with Scuffet thwarting CR7 once again. The Friulian goalie then repeated the trick to deny Cancelo a first goal in black and white and the fact he was the hosts' best player by a mile tells you just how one-sided the match was.

UDINESE 0-2 JUVENTUS (HT 0-2) SCORERS: Bentancur 33, Ronaldo 37. UDINESE Scuffet; Stryger-Larsen, Troost-Ekong, Nuytinck, Samir; Behrami (Pussetto 62); Barak (Teodorczyk 76), Fofana, Mandragora De Paul; Lasagna (Vizeu 87). Subs not used: Nicolas, Musso, Opoku, Pezzella, Ter Avest, Wague, D'Alessandro, Pontisso, Machis Coach: Julio Velazquez. JUVENTUS

Szczesny; Cancelo, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Bentancur, Pjanic (Barzagli 90), Matuidi (Emre Can 46); Dybala (Bernardeschi 66), Mandzukic, Ronaldo. Subs not used: Perin, Pinsoglio, De Sciglio, Benatia, Cuadrado, Kean. Coach: Massimiliano Allegri. REFEREE: Abisso. ASSISTANTS: Posado, Mondin. FOURTH OFFICIAL: Minelli. VAR: La Penna, Tegoni. BOOKED: Del Paul 50, Samir 79, Lasagna 83, Mandzukic 90+4.

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