Juventus continued their Scudetto charge with a convincing win over Novara at the Silvio Piola. The Bianconeri treated the watching Michel Platini and Giampiero Boniperti to an impressive display, comfortably overcoming the Biancoazzurri through a Vucinic double and goals from Borriello and Vidal.
Antonio Conte opted to make two changes for his side’s penultimate away trip of the season. Giaccherini came in for De Ceglie, while Wednesday’s match winner Borriello replaced Quagliarella up front.
The buoyant Bianconeri passed and moved with pace and intent from the very first minute, utilising the outlet of Giaccherini to pin the hosts back.
Their reward came when Pirlo delivered a free-kick from the left and Vucinic held off his marker to execute a deft touch which flew past Fontana into the top corner.
Things were about to get even better five minutes from the break as Borriello grabbed his second goal in as many games. Again it was Giaccherini who caused danger down the left-hand side, whipping in a cross which the unmarked striker headed home with aplomb.
With Conte’s name echoing around the Silvio Piola, sung by the travelling support, the Bianconeri saw out the opening period in the ascendency.
And they returned to the field with increased urgency which paid off just four minutes after the restart. Vucinic capitalised on a defensive slip to send a strike against Fontana, with Vidal on hand to follow up and register his seventh championship goal of the season.
Conte elected to make the most of his side’s comfortable lead, introducing Padoin and De Ceglie to the fray in place of Vidal and Marchisio. The changes added extra grit to the midfield, which closed the Biancoazzurri down whenever they regained possession.
Goal number four arrived on 64 minutes when Giaccherini, who tormented the Novara rearguard throughout, beat his marker on the byline to dispatch a shot on goal. Fontana pushed his effort out, only for Vucinic to pick up the pieces by sweeping home.
It proved to be the Montenegrin’s last action of the game, replaced shortly afterwards by Elia who joined Borriello up front. The Dutchman was presented with a couple of opportunities to chalk up his first strike in black and white, but found Fontana equal to it on both occasions.
In truth, the result was never in doubt as the visitors controlled possession right up until the end. Celi’s final whistle saw the Bianconeri celebrate their first victory on Novara soil for 40 years and maintain their three-point lead over Milan, leaving Conte’s men just two wins away from making their Scudetto dreams a reality.
NOVARA 0-4 JUVENTUS
GOALS: Vucinic 16, Borriello 40, Vidal 49, Vucinic 64
NOVARA
Fontana; Dellafiore (Da Silva 46), Lisuzzo, Paci, Garcia; Porcari, Pesce, Gemiti; Rigoni; Mazzarani (Radovanovic 67), Caracciolo (Morimoto 51).
Substitutes not used: Coser, Centurioni, Rinaudo, Mascara.
Manager: Tesser
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Lichtsteiner, Vidal (Padoin 56), Pirlo, Marchisio (De Ceglie 60), Giaccherini; Borriello, Vucinic (Elia 65).
Substitutes not used: Storari, Caceres, Del Piero, Quagliarella.
Manager: Conte
REFEREE: Celi
ASSISTANTS: Barbirati, Maggiani
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Russo
BOOKED: Pesce 14
Source: Juventus.com
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