25 October 2015
The Bianconeri produced a convincing display to wrap up their third league win of the season, beating Atalanta 2-0 at Juventus Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men started the match strongly, Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala immediately forcing Marco Sportiello into a couple of smart saves before La Joya hammered home his side’s opener with a delightful strike from the edge of the box after 28 minutes that the talented 23-year-old goalkeeper could do absolutely nothing about as it arrowed into the top corner.
The goal was Dybala’s fourth so far this season and he almost doubled his personal tally on the afternoon with a first-time shot from Kwadwo Asamoah’s accurate centre, bringing out yet another fine save from the Nerazzurri keeper, his fifth of an opening period in which the hosts, not for the first time this term, enjoyed the lion’s share of possession (67 per cent).
Juventus carried on from where they had left off for the start of the second half and it would only take four minutes for them to double the lead when Mandzukic made no mistake from a matter of yards to cap off a fine team move in which a lively Dybala provided the assist.
The hosts would remain on top thereafter, especially after Rafael Toloi’s 73rd minute sending off, and they might have added a third five minutes later, but Paul Pogba could not find a way past Sportiello from the penalty spot.
Nevertheless, two goals would prove enough for Allegri’s men to seal their second home victory in the league this season, which sees them sit on 12 points.
In a lively opening to the encounter the Bianconeri burst out of the traps with forward pairing Dybala and Mandzukic combining well on a couple of occasions in the opening five minutes, but Sportiello was equal to latter’s header before getting his gloves to the Croatian’s close-range shot from La Joya’s corner.
It would then be French duo Paul Pogba and Patrice Evra’s turn to link up effectively down the left, the full-back sending in two dangerous crosses, the first only just evading Juve’s onrushing strikers, the second well intercepted by opposite number Gianpaolo Bellini.
Dybala too tested Sportiello with an effort of his own, catching Roberto Pereyra’s lay-off first-time, but the 23-year-old keeper was positioned perfectly to gather the shot.
There was little he could do, however, about the Argentine’s wonderful strike in the 28th minute. Receiving Pogba’s pass in space on the edge of the box, Dybala sent the ball swerving over Sportiello’s shoulder and into the top corner to score his side’s first goal in the opening half-hour of any game so far this season.
Relishing his first start since the home victory over Bologna, La Joya almost doubled the Bianconeri’s lead with the final attack before the break, testing Sportiello’s reflexes with another sharp, first-time shot from Asamoah’s pinpoint pull-back from the touchline.
Hungry to increase what was a slender half-time lead, Juventus began the second period how they finished the first – firmly on the front foot.
And it would take all of four minutes for the hosts to double the afternoon’s scoring when Mandzukic tucked home Dybala’s neat cut-back, the Argentine scurrying into space after collecting Pogba’s clever flick-on.
Despite finding themselves two goals down, Edy Reja’s men provided very little threat of working their way back into the contest, Mauricio Pinilla’s long-range drive that sailed past Gigi Buffon’s upright the closest they came to finding the target.
Meanwhile, back up the end of the pitch, Allegri’s men were able to pick their passes with patience and precision to create a couple of dangerous openings with 20 minutes remaining.
Dybala it was again at the centre of the action, as he sent his free-kick whiskers wide, before hitting a first-time volley that Sportiello had to be alert to.
Moments later, the visitors’ chances of launching a comeback became even less likely when Toloi received his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
On 78 minutes, Juventus had a gilt-edge opportunity to wrap up the points for good when Gabriel Paletta scythed down Dybala in the box to give the referee no option but to point to the spot. But the impressive Sportiello had anticipated the flight of the ball perfectly to parry Pogba’s powerful, albeit central penalty kick.
Nevertheless, Allegri’s men were always comfortable with their two-goal lead, especially against ten men, as they cruised to a valuable third league win of 2015/16, whilst recording a trio of consecutive clean sheets since the international break.
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Padoin, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra; Khedira (Sturaro 88), Marchisio, Pogba; Pereyra (Asamoah 37); Dybala, Mandzukic (Morata 77)
Unused substitutes: Neto, Audero, Barzagli, Rugani, Alex Sandro, Lemina, Hernanes, Cuadrado, Zaza
Coach: Allegri
ATALANTA
Sportiello; Bellini (Masiello 45), Toloi, Paletta, Dramé; Grassi, De Roon (Migliaccio 73), Kurtic; Moralez (Gomez 52), Pinilla, D'Alessandro
Unused substitutes: Bassi, Stendardo, Carmona, Denis, Cigarini, Brivio, Cherubin, Monachello, Raimondi
Coach: Reja
