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Played
December 4, 2011 9:00 AM EST
Juventus Arena — Torino
Referee: D. Doveri
Attendance: 27000
December 4, 2011 9:00 AM EST
Juventus Arena — Torino
Referee: D. Doveri
Attendance: 27000
Top of the Match
Claudio Marchisio
Juventus
Juventus
A. Vidal
Juventus
Juventus
Flop of the Match
Erjon Bogdani
Cesena
Cesena
Francesco Antonioli
Cesena
Cesena
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Juventus 2-0 Cesena: Marchisio and Vidal on target as Turin giants return to Serie A summit
The Bianconeri struggled to create any openings of note during the first half but their goalscoring Italy midfielder came up trumps for them once again with the breakthrough
By Mark Doyle
Getty Images
Juventus reclaimed top spot in Serie A with a hard-earned 2-0 victory over Cesena in Turin on Sunday afternoon.
The Bianconeri struggled badly to break down their relegation-threatened visitors but Claudio Marchisio popped up with just 18 minutes to go to score his sixth goal of the season, before Arturo Vidal slotted home from the penalty spot after Francesco Antonioli had been harshly sent off for bringing down Emanuele Giaccherini.
Juventus started promisingly enough, with the movement of Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe asking questions of the Cesena defense. The only trouble for the home side was the visitors had answers more often than not.
Admittedly, Guillermo Rodriguez was somewhat fortunate to have avoided giving away a penalty when he clattered into Lichtsteiner but the referee saw no foul and waved away Juventus’ protests. There was some doubt over whether the offense had occurred in or outside the box but it should have been a free kick at the very least.
That penalty shout aside, Cesena had few scares during the opening 45 minutes. Indeed, Antonioli was only really forced into one notable save, the Cesena goalkeeper using his feet to keep out Vucinic’s low drive shortly before the break.
After a presumably stern talking-to from Antonio Conte during the interval, Juventus began the second half with greater endeavor and Pepe squandered two terrific opportunities to open the scoring.
In the first instance, the Italy international could only fire straight at Antonioli after the keeper had failed to hold Vucinic’s effort from distance. Then, just moments later Pepe headed wide after being picked out at the far post by a wonderful cross from Giorgio Chiellini.
By this point, Fabio Quagliarella had come on for the unusually ineffective Alessandro Matri and Conte opted to make another change before the hour mark, sending Alessandro Del Piero on for Vucinic.
However, Del Piero did not have nearly enough time to make an impact, the legendary No.10 being stretchered off with a nasty head wound after being booted in the face by Marco Rossi as he stooped to nod the ball on.
It seemed that fate was conspiring against Juventus. However, Marchisio then came up trumps for the Bianconeri once more, the Italian exchanging passes with Pepe and Arturo Vidal on the edge of the box before finding the bottom right corner of the Cesena goal with a sweet left-footed strike.
Juve sealed its victory seven minutes form time, Vidal easily beating Rodriguez from 12 yards out after the Cesena defender had been forced to go in goal following Antonioli's dismissal for simply colliding with Giaccherini as the pair competed for Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross.
The victory means that the home side moves two points clear at the summit once more, while Cesena remains one point and one place off the bottom of the table.
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The Bianconeri struggled badly to break down their relegation-threatened visitors but Claudio Marchisio popped up with just 18 minutes to go to score his sixth goal of the season, before Arturo Vidal slotted home from the penalty spot after Francesco Antonioli had been harshly sent off for bringing down Emanuele Giaccherini.
Juventus started promisingly enough, with the movement of Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe asking questions of the Cesena defense. The only trouble for the home side was the visitors had answers more often than not.
Admittedly, Guillermo Rodriguez was somewhat fortunate to have avoided giving away a penalty when he clattered into Lichtsteiner but the referee saw no foul and waved away Juventus’ protests. There was some doubt over whether the offense had occurred in or outside the box but it should have been a free kick at the very least.
That penalty shout aside, Cesena had few scares during the opening 45 minutes. Indeed, Antonioli was only really forced into one notable save, the Cesena goalkeeper using his feet to keep out Vucinic’s low drive shortly before the break.
After a presumably stern talking-to from Antonio Conte during the interval, Juventus began the second half with greater endeavor and Pepe squandered two terrific opportunities to open the scoring.
In the first instance, the Italy international could only fire straight at Antonioli after the keeper had failed to hold Vucinic’s effort from distance. Then, just moments later Pepe headed wide after being picked out at the far post by a wonderful cross from Giorgio Chiellini.
By this point, Fabio Quagliarella had come on for the unusually ineffective Alessandro Matri and Conte opted to make another change before the hour mark, sending Alessandro Del Piero on for Vucinic.
However, Del Piero did not have nearly enough time to make an impact, the legendary No.10 being stretchered off with a nasty head wound after being booted in the face by Marco Rossi as he stooped to nod the ball on.
It seemed that fate was conspiring against Juventus. However, Marchisio then came up trumps for the Bianconeri once more, the Italian exchanging passes with Pepe and Arturo Vidal on the edge of the box before finding the bottom right corner of the Cesena goal with a sweet left-footed strike.
Juve sealed its victory seven minutes form time, Vidal easily beating Rodriguez from 12 yards out after the Cesena defender had been forced to go in goal following Antonioli's dismissal for simply colliding with Giaccherini as the pair competed for Stephan Lichtsteiner's cross.
The victory means that the home side moves two points clear at the summit once more, while Cesena remains one point and one place off the bottom of the table.
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