Juventus cruised to a comprehensive 3-1 against Cagliari at Stadio Sant’Elia in Serie A on Thursday evening.
Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal struck early to give the visitors a commanding lead before Fernando Llorente added a third shortly after the break. Luca Rossettini headed home a consolation for Cagliari midway through the second half.
The hosts, under heavy Juventus pressure from the outset, crumbled early. Giorgio Chiellini deflected a cross into Alessio Cragno’s midriff and the keeper was unable to hold onto the ball, allowing Tevez to pounce from close range for his tenth league goal of the season.
Despite falling behind, the Isolani looked lively with Albin Ekdal forcing a decent save from Gianluigi Buffon, however it was only a matter of time before the Bianconeri doubled their lead.
It came after fifteen minutes as Patrice Evra’s cross was poorly cleared and Vidal who was lurking outside the area, provided the precise strike, stroking the ball home into the far corner from twenty yards, leaving the keeper with no chance.
After going two-nil down, the Rossoblu began to assert themselves in the contest with efforts from Danilo Avelar and Ekdal going close but ultimately not bearing any fruit for the hosts as they went into the break two goals down.
Immediately after the break Ekdal went close once more as his low effort was deflected just wide of Buffon’s post and from the resulting corner Luca Ceppitelli was unable to guide his header on target.
It was the Bianconeri, however, who would add to their lead shortly afterwards. Andrea Pirlo’s delightful ball found Llorente who used his strength to hold off a defender before swivelling and squirming a shot under Cragno from close range.
Francesco Capuano should have immediately reduced arrears, but hisclose range volley failed to trouble the Juventus goal and flew harmlessly over the bar.
Zdenek Zeman’s side eventually managed to make their mark on the game when Andrea Cossu’s free kick was easily headed home by the unmarked Rossettini from six yards out.
Roberto Pereyra was guilty of not extending the Bianconeri’s lead on multiple occasions as he failed to take advantage of two clear goalscoring chances while, as usual, Pirlo was dictating the visitor’s play in every way possible and continually dominated the midfield.
Avelar came close to setting up a grandstand finish however he snatched at his late effort and once again failed to test Buffon as Cagliari sought to create a late and unlikely comeback.
The result sees Juventus extend their lead at the summit of Serie A to four points over Roma, albeit temporarily, while Cagliari remain stuck in the relegation zone, one point adrift of Chievo in seventeenth place.
