Alessandro Matri of Juventus FC scores?the winner?during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and ACF Fiorentina on October 25, 2011 in Turin, Italy. |
Juventus beat Fiorentina 2-1 despite wasteful finishing at home on Tuesday.
Simone Pepe tested Artur Boruc after three minutes, then the Polish goalkeeper palmed a Claudio Marchisio snapshot over the bar.
Some horrible defending allowed Juventus to take the lead. The Fiorentina squad stood still as an Andrea Pirlo corner was whipped in for Vidal's effort and Leonardo Bonucci was undisturbed to pounce on Boruc's short save.
Matri volleyed well over from Vidal's cross in a very promising position, then Boruc sprinted off his line to charge down Pepe, who sprung the offside trap from a slide-rule pass.
Boruc smothered a deflected Vucinic attempt at the near post, while Matri came sliding in for Pepe's low cross, put out for a corner by Alessandro Gamberini's desperate intervention.
Vucinic was left unmarked to meet another corner, but didn't put enough power on the shot to trouble Boruc. The former Roma striker did get a good finish away after a give-and-go with Vidal, but the angled drive was flashed across the face of goal.
In first half stoppages, Andrea Barzagli had a strong run down the right and his cross was prodded into Boruc's arms by Matri.
Gilardino came on for the second half, switching to a 4-2-3-1 system, and within 60 seconds Marco Storari had been forced into his first save, as Jovetic headed a corner into the ground that was going under the bar. The team talk must've shaken the walls, as Fiorentina had a very different attitude.
Fiorentina made Juve pay for their wasteful first half finishing by drawing level. Gilardino got down the right and pulled back for Juan Manuel Vargas, who flicked it on for the Jovetic screamer from the D. It was the first goal the Viola have scored on their travels this season.
Juventus restored their advantage with Matri, though much of the credit must go to Pepe. The winger battled while surrounded by five Viola players to prod through a pass releasing Matri, who finished it off firmly.
Matri nearly got a second soon after, but his wonderful curler from the edge of the box brought an equally splendid flying save out of Boruc.