Paolo Dybala was involved in all four goals as Juventus demolished Udinese at the Stadio Friuli on Sunday to claim their tenth league win in a row and keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli.
All the goals came inside the first half as the Old Lady looked to avenge their 1-0 defeat on the opening day of the season.
The hosts actually started brighter of the two sides and had their first chance on 10 minutes when Cyril Thereau found Antonio di Natale inside the penalty area, although he was ruled offside before he could shoot at goal.
© Getty Images
Juventus then sprung into life and found their first of the afternoon on the quarter-hour mark from a set play after Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu brought down Kawdwo Asamoah just outside the penalty area. Dybala made no mistake with the free kick, sending it over the wall and into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
Dybala turned provider just three minutes later when he found an unmarked Sami Khedira, who made a simple header in to double the visitors' advantage.
© Getty Images
The game was effectively put to bed on 25 minutes when Udinese were reduced to 10 men as Danilo Larangeira saw red for a clumsy challenge on Mario Mandzukic. Stephan Lichtsteiner's perfect pass set the Croatian up to go one on one with keeper Orestis Karnezis before he was brought down from behind by the Brazilian.
Dybala was then gifted his second of the afternoon as he struck confidently from the spot into the left-hand corner, leaving Karnezis helpless.
The young Argentine had a chance to take home the match ball as half time approached but his thumping strike went just over the crossbar. He did claim involvement in his side's fourth goal however, setting up Alex Sandro three minutes before the break for the Brazilian's first league goal for Juve.
Massimiliano Allegri's charges were not content to settle for just four and had multiple chances to extend their advantage in the second half but for some determined Udinese defending.
Mandzukic almost got on the scoresheet himself in the 53rd minute but was unable to get his feet to the ball when well-placed in the middle of the penalty area.
Dybala almost wrapped up his hat-trick on the hour mark but fluffed his lines when clear on goal after being played through by Mandzukic.
With the final whistle approaching, the pace slowed although the hosts were not without an opportunity to grab a consolation after Claudio Marchisio was judged to have handled the ball. Francesco Lodi took the free kick from 30 yards out but Gianluigi Buffon was able to get his fingers to the ball to push it onto the post and out.
The champions now sit second in Serie A, two points off Napoli, while Udinese's back-to-back defeats leave them 13th.
No Data Analysis info
