Juventus defeated Empoli 3-1 at the Stadio Carlo Castellani in Serie A on Sunday afternoon.
Massimo Maccarone put the home side ahead just 19 minutes into the game, however, the defiant Bianconeri clawed back two goals through Mario Mandzukic and Patrice Evra before Paulo Dybala wrapped up all three points.
Empoli started the game strongly as they boasted the majority of possession, happily passing the ball around a seemingly timid Juventus midfield, who were given little room to breathe by Riccardo Saponara.
Despite this it was the visitors who would have the first real chance of the game, as Jaun Cuadrado found himself on a break before flashing the ball across goal for Mario Mandzukic, only for the Croatian striker to flail and miss-hit the ball from four yards out.
As punishment for the early miss Empoli hit back and took the lead with a smooth goal. Saponara picked up the ball in midfield after a failed clearance from Leonardo Bonucci, and fed the ball to compatriot Massimo Maccarone who beat his man and hammered the ball into the net from 20-yards-out.
It took Juventus a further 20 minutes to find a goal of there own, with Mario Mandzukic sliding in to level the score and atone for his earlier miss.
The reigning champions then began to take a stronger grip on the game and not before long they found a second goal. Defender Patrice Evra lept the highest to reach Cuadrado’s 40th minute corner, sending a powerful header past Lukasz Skorupski.
Mandzukic could have added a third for Juventus after the break if it were not for a piece of fantastic defending from Lorenzo Tonelli, who came to the Azzurri’s rescue with a well timed sliding tackle.
Gianluigi Buffon then put his side’s lead at risk just a matter of minutes later as he came off his line to foul Manuel Pucciarelli, though the Italian veteran avoided a near own goal by Mandzukic from the resulting free kick as the ball bounced over the bar.
In spite of the host’s relentless attacks Juventus were to score again, this time through substitute Paulo Dybala who finished off a rebound to give his side their first back to back wins of the season.
