Juventus move four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings after claiming a comfortable 2-0 victory over Atalanta in Bergamo on Saturday.
La Vecchia Signora clinched the unofficial title of Serie A winter champions after claiming a straightforward 2-0 victory over Atalanta at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia in Bergamo on Saturday.
Juventus pushed to the attack immediately from the kick-off, and almost went ahead inside the opening three minutes when Simone Pepe caught out Alessandro Matri with a precise low cross, but somehow the striker fired the ball over the bar.
Matri almost made amends for his earlier miss, when he struck the left post from inside of the area, as the visitors continued to pile heavy pressure on a vulnerable Atalanta.
It seemed that at any moment Juventus would break the deadlock, due to the free-flowing attacking soccer they were producing, but further misses from Pepe and Arturo Vidal kept the Bianconeri at bay.
Chilean midfielder Vidal thought that he had given his side the lead when he unleashed a venomous 27-metre drive on goal, but Atalanta goalkeeper Andrea Consigli managed to push it onto the crossbar to make sure his side entered the interval on level terms.
In the second period Juventus continued to dominate their opponents, and the breakthrough finally came in the 55th minute, when Andrea Pirlo caught out Stephan Lichtsteiner with a fabulous cross, and the Swiss defender headed home at the back post.
Moments later Matri was presented with another glorious opportunity to double Juve's advantage, but his smart lob bounced inches wide of the post.
With just eight minutes remaining on the clock, substitutes Luca Marrone and Emanuele Giaccherini combined superbly for Juventus' second goal which put the result well beyond Atalanta's reach.
Giaccherini connected to a sublime chipped through ball from Marrone with a spectacularly-timed volley.
With the win, Juventus provisionally moved four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings, however, their lead could be cut down to one point if Milan manage to overcome lowly Novara on Sunday.
Juventus pushed to the attack immediately from the kick-off, and almost went ahead inside the opening three minutes when Simone Pepe caught out Alessandro Matri with a precise low cross, but somehow the striker fired the ball over the bar.
Matri almost made amends for his earlier miss, when he struck the left post from inside of the area, as the visitors continued to pile heavy pressure on a vulnerable Atalanta.
It seemed that at any moment Juventus would break the deadlock, due to the free-flowing attacking soccer they were producing, but further misses from Pepe and Arturo Vidal kept the Bianconeri at bay.
Chilean midfielder Vidal thought that he had given his side the lead when he unleashed a venomous 27-metre drive on goal, but Atalanta goalkeeper Andrea Consigli managed to push it onto the crossbar to make sure his side entered the interval on level terms.
In the second period Juventus continued to dominate their opponents, and the breakthrough finally came in the 55th minute, when Andrea Pirlo caught out Stephan Lichtsteiner with a fabulous cross, and the Swiss defender headed home at the back post.
Moments later Matri was presented with another glorious opportunity to double Juve's advantage, but his smart lob bounced inches wide of the post.
With just eight minutes remaining on the clock, substitutes Luca Marrone and Emanuele Giaccherini combined superbly for Juventus' second goal which put the result well beyond Atalanta's reach.
Giaccherini connected to a sublime chipped through ball from Marrone with a spectacularly-timed volley.
With the win, Juventus provisionally moved four points clear at the top of the Serie A standings, however, their lead could be cut down to one point if Milan manage to overcome lowly Novara on Sunday.
