In a pulsating first half of football between 2nd and 3rd in Serie A, as Juventus hosted Napoli, which Juventus dominated in the tackle and in the shooting stakes as Fernando Llorente scored what looked suspiciously offside with a back post poke home to put the Bianconeri in the lead within 2 minutes, becoming the first Spanish player to score against a Spanish goalkeeper in Serie A.
Pepe Reina with some heroic stops kept it from being 2-0 within the first 10 minutes as Juve’s attacking department, peppered the visitors goal.
Benitez, known for his hand gesturing tactical rants on the touchline, was busy getting some urgency into his team as Maggio played some sloppy passes in the early exchanges, before gradually getting upto speed.
Carlos Tevez an ever present threat pulling the strings shooting and supplying the attacking threat of Llorente. As the half went on Napoli managed to get a foot hold in the game with some great work from Insigne, surely one to watch at next years World cup for Italy getting a few shots in. As the second half started Insigne, partnered by Higuain, applied some pressure on the Juve defence, but the strength shown by the ever increasingly impressive Pogba and the experienced Pirlo make this Juve team hard to beat.
Napoli looked to get the break through, until a great strike by Pirlo from a free kick resulting from the challenge on Tevez on the edge of the area by Inler, curling the ball over the wall and into the net as a dispairing Reina is finally beaten again.
Hamsik becoming the only threat for Napoli as the 2nd half went on with a few long range shots and some good tackling against Pogba. A 80th minute wonder strike from Pogba finally put the game to bed; the France midfielder renowned for some brilliant strikes taking a pass from Vidal sending a blistering shot which cannons off the inside of the post and beyond Reina. 3-0 to the Old Lady…On this form Juventus look unstoppable and surely questions need to be asked as to how a talent such as Pogba got away from the grasps of Sir Alex.
Article by Pete Searle
