Matthijs De Ligt’s first goal for Juventus was enough to give them a 1-0 win over Torino in Saturday night’s Derby della Mole.
In a somewhat balanced match, it was Torino who started the better but were never able to trouble Wojciech Szczesny in the Bianconeri goal, then, with 20 minutes left to play, De Ligt was in the right place at the right time to rifle in the winner.
Walter Mazzarri hasn’t beaten Juventus as a coach since January 2011, and Torino have only won one of their last 26 Serie A derbies against their city rivals.
As a result, Juventus move one point clear of Inter at the top of the table once again, after the Nerazzurri beat Bologna earlier on Saturday evening, with Torino now winless in their last six Serie A matches.
Torino pressed Juventus from the off and had the first real chance when Simone Verdi had a go from just inside the penalty area, but it flew over the crossbar.
The two sides had penalty shouts waved away by referee Daniele Doveri, with Matthijs De Ligt again in the middle of a handball incident.
Cristiano Ronaldo went close with a dipping header that went just wide of Salvatore Sirigu’s upright
Then at the other end, Andrea Belotti managed to get past Mattia De Sciglio and drive into the penalty area, before cutting back to Soualinho Meite but his shot was put high over the crossbar.
Miralem Pjanic floated a freekick to the back post which was headed towards goal by Leonardo Bonucci but acrobatically flicked over the crossbar by Sirigu.
Just moments before the break, another brilliant reaction save from Sirigu denied De Ligt from close range.
A quick counter attack, led by Paulo Dybala, who put Ronaldo in on goal, but his low drive towards the back post was pushed away by Sirigu.
As the second half wore on Juventus’ superior quality began to show and Gonzalo Higuain volleyed straight at Sirigu, but from the resulting corner the Bianconeri took the lead.
The ball was swung into the back post and Higuain side-footed back across goal to De Ligt who smashed home from just outside the six-yard box.
Torino looked to react immediately as Cristian Ansaldi tried his luck but Wojciech Szczesny was equal to the Argentine’s strike.
It should have been two for Juventus when Aaron Ramsey was sent in on goal, but under pressure from the chasing Torino defence, he poked his shot into he legs of Sirigu.
Torino did have the ball in the back of the net late on, but it was ruled out for offside.
