Juventus Maintain Winning Run at Samp Expense

Two of Italy's inform sides met in Genoa, but it was Juventus who came out on top to cut their gap to two points just behind Napoli at the top of Serie A

Juventus controlled the play early on with high pressing and got their reward when Paul Pogba used his chest to control before guiding into the back of the net. The Old Lady continued to threaten with Patrice Evra and Stephan Lichtsteiner getting further forward from the wing back positions and in turn, pinning Sampdoria's full backs in their defensive third.

Paulo Dybala was lively and often created space in the Samp defence. Allegri had given the little Argentine a free role and he was looking threatening from the home side's point of view. Dybala whipped a brilliant free kick in from far out on the right which was crying out for a flick by a Juventus player, instead, it missed everyone and forced a stretching save from goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.

Towards the end of the first half, Sampdoria had a good spell of possession. A free kick on the edge of the box was unable to beat the wall but Samps were beginning to string a few passes together and looked dangerous. Pressure off the ball made Juventus hurry and often concede possession. Nevertheless, it remained 1-0 to the away side at the break.

It took just over a minute into the second half for Juventus to score and it was Sami Khedira who poked the ball past the onrushing Sampdoria keeper. Paulo Dybala threaded a beautiful ball through to the German World Cup winner who supplied the finish. Juventus now looked comfortable and Sampdoria had a mountain to climb.

Juventus looked like adding to their score while Sampdoria struggled to pose any kind of a threat to the Juve defence at all. The home side had a glorious chance to get themselves back in the game when Antonio Cassano stood a love ball up to the back post, but Samp top scorer Eder couldn't hit the target. It really should have ruffled the back of the net.

Dybala had a strike bound for the bottom corner of the net expertly saved by the Sampdoria goal keeper which would have sealed the game. The home side gave the ball away cheaply in the midfield to Paul Pogba and they will be punished in the future.

Antonio Cassano halved the deficit in the 64th minute when he found the back of the net. This gave the home side momentum and confidence to grab the equaliser. Sampdoria continued to press, but Juve got possession of the ball and begun to take all of the momentum and pace out of the game.

Sampdoria were getting opportunities in the last 5 minutes of the game. Ervin Zukanovic just headed over from a free kick while Buffon plucked a dangerous cross out of the air shortly after. The comeback died when Niklas Moisander lunged in on Simone Zaza and was sent for an early shower in somewhat controversial circumstances. It looked a definite yellow, but the brandished straight red card left me perplexed as to what the logic of the referee was.

Juventus notched their ninth straight win in Serie A and now move to within two points of league leaders, Napoli. For Vincenzo Montella's Samps, they remain in 13th, eight points off relegation.