Juventus continued their strong start to the 2012/13 campaign with a commanding 4-1win over Udinese at the Stadio Friuli.
In truth, the hosts, who were gunning for redemption after crashing out of the Champions League qualifying stages in midweek, were never in the encounter as Antonio Conte’s men showed no mercy by rifling four past their opponents.
A Vidal penalty set the Bianconeri on their way before Vucinic doubled the lead on the stroke of half time. Giovinco’s second-half brace made the points safe.
For the trip to Udine, Buffon and Chiellini were handed their first league appearances of the season after missing last weekend’s opening 2-0 victory over Parma through injury. New signing Bendtner remained behind in Vinovo to work on his fitness, with Vucinic and Giovinco were handed another chance to impress in attack.
The diminutive frontman - making his second Serie A league start after returning from a two-year stint in Parma - looked lively from the off, linking up well with Vucinic and dropping deep to give the central midfield trio plenty of options.
It took just 13 minutes for Giovinco’s intelligent movement to be rewarded. Pirlo received the ball and picked out his forward burst with a pinpoint raking pass from deep. Under pressure from Brkic charging off his line, the striker attempted to divert a header goalwards but was sent to ground by the shot-stopper’s strong challenge. Penalty to Juventus. Udinese down to ten men.
After seeing last weekend’s spot-kick thwarted by Parma goalkeeper Mirante, Vidal claimed the ball and stepped up to make amends. And the Chilean midfielder fully atoned for his miss by crashing an unstoppable strike beyond the grasp of Padelli to put his team a goal to the good.
The early breakthrough appeared to take the sting out of the hosts, who struggled to cope with the Bianconeri’s intricate passing and movement.
Goal number two provided the perfect example of such play, with Vucinic curling an unstoppable effort into the corner after a flowing build up involving Vidal and Asamoah.
After Giovinco blazed over following the restart, a spell of heavy pressure culminated in the visitors notching their third goal. Marchisio was given time and space to crack in a left-footed shot from outside the area and Giovinco was on hand to sweep the ball home after Padelli fumbled the midfielder’s strike.
Urged on by an animated Massimo Carrera, Juventus refused to settle for their comfortable advantage and were ruthless in their pursuit of further goals.
And the icing on the cake arrived inside the final twenty minutes when Giovinco bagged his own personal double by rifling a crisp effort into the bottom corner following good work from Pirlo.
Udinese grabbed a late consolation when Lazzari prodded home from close range after a rare moment of hesitation in the Bianconeri defence.
But the goal conceded failed to tarnish a superb afternoon’s work as Juventus came through a difficult test with flying colours.
UDINESE 1-4 JUVENTUS
GOALS: Vidal 14, Vucinic 46, Giovinco 53, Giovinco 71, Lazzari 78
UDINESE
Brkic; Benatia, Danilo, Domizzi; Basta, Pinzi, Pereyra (Muriel 52), Lazzari, Armero; Fabbrini (Padelli 13), Di Natale (Allan 76).
Substitutes not used: Heurtaux, Coda, Angella, Gabriel Silva, Pasquale, Faraoni, Domingos, Barreto, Maicosuel.
Manager: Guidolin
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini (Marrone 71); Lichtsteiner, Vidal, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah; Giovinco (Quagliarella 74), Vucinic (Matri 74).
Substitutes not used: Storari, Branescu, Caceres, De Ceglie, Pogba, Giaccherini.
Coach: Carrera
REFEREE: Valeri
ASSISTANTS: Gialatini, Padovan
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Cariolato
BOOKED: Pinzi 17, Armero 34, Marchisio 37, Bonucci 40, Domizzi 77, Matri 79
SENT OFF: Brkic 13
Source: Juventus.com
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