Juventus defeated Bologna 2-0 at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Friday night in Serie A.
An early goal by in-form Arturo Vidal and a glancing header by Giorgio Chiellini in the 89th minute did the job for the league leaders against the Rossoblu, whose worries are increasing in the bottom of the table.
Juventus took control of the match from the kick-off, but mistimed runs and misplaced passes, as well as a few great last-second tackles by Bologna defenders prevented the Bianconeri from capitalising on their early dominance.
Nevertheless, in the 13th minute, the Turin club opened the scoreline. After an one-on-one opportunity was squandered by Claudio Marchisio, Juventus kept possession and their persistence paid off with a goal from Vidal, who was found unmarked in the area by Federico Peluso.
The first good chance for Bologna came halfway through the opening period. In the 25th minute Alessandro Diamanti tested Gianluigi Buffon with a curling shot from a long range, but the veteran goalkeeper turned it away for a corner.
The Rossoblu threatened again with a cross from the right. Rolando Bianchi settled the ball and pulled it out of the area for Diamanti, but the Italian’s fierce shot ended up straight at Buffon.
The teams were more evenly matched in the beginning of the second half, but it was again Juventus who made the most of their possession by sending some shots toward Gianluca Curci’s goal through Marchisio and Fabio Quagliarella, both off target.
As the visitors were tightening their grip on their opposition, however, the first shot on goal came from first-half substitute Fernando Llorente, who was given a clear opportunity from the corner of the penalty box. The Spaniard’s shot, however, was well saved by Curci.
In the 68th minute, Juventus might have been two goals up, but a close offside decision went against them and ruled out a goal by newly introduced Kwadwo Asamoah.
Shortly after, the Bianconeri beat the Rossoblu backline once again with a few quick passes, but Llorente could not make the most of the one-on-one opportunity. At the other end, Bologna’s best chance in the half thus far came from nothing. Jonathan Cristaldo picked up a poorly cleared ball and made and individual run deep into the penalty area, but his shot toward Buffon’s far right corner was just whiskers wide.
Curci was called to work again after 79 minutes, when he had to save a strong near-post shot by Marchisio, and he dealt with the danger in style. Not long after, he once again kept his team in the contest, denying Llorente on another must-score opportunity.
The goalkeeper had to do better 10 minutes later, however, when he was caught in no man’s land after a Carlos Tevez corner. The Argentine found Chiellini at the near post and the Italian international secured all three points for his team by directing the ball into the exposed corner of Curci’s goal.
