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Played
April 1, 2012 2:45 PM EDT
Juventus Arena — Torino
Referee: D. Orsato
Attendance: 45666
April 1, 2012 2:45 PM EDT
Juventus Arena — Torino
Referee: D. Orsato
Attendance: 45666
Top of the Match
A. Vidal
Juventus
Juventus
A. Vidal
Juventus
Juventus
Flop of the Match
Edinson Cavani
Napoli
Napoli
Marco Borriello
Juventus
Juventus
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Juventus 3-0 Napoli: Turin giant produces strong second half display and close gap to leader AC Milan to two points
Leonardo Bonucci, Arturo Vidal and Fabio Quagliarella were all on target as the in-form Bianconeri cranked up the pressure on the Rossoneri at the top of the table
By Mark Doyle
Getty Images
Juventus underlined its title credentials with an ultimately facile 3-0 victory over Napoli in Turin on Sunday night.
After a dour first half, the Bianconeri opened the scoring midway through the second period when Leonardo Bonucci deflected a shot from Mirko Vucinic past a helpless Morgan De Sanctis.
Artuo Vidal scored a sublime second before substitute Fabio Quagliarella completed the rout with a late third.
Both sides initially appeared intent on picking up where they left off at the San Paolo in November, treating fans to a wonderfully open start to the game.
The hosts looked particularly menacing and really should have taken the lead just four minutes in but Marco Borriello – surprisingly recalled to the Juventus starting lineup – inexplicably failed to get his head on the end of a most delicious delivery from Pirlo. Borriello did manage to connect with a Stephan Lichtsteiner cross moments later but the on-loan forward’s header flashed wide.
The Partenopei then gave Juve an almighty scare on 13 minutes when Hamsik found himself in on goal after a delightful one-two with Ezequiel Lavezzi but in trying to take the ball around the onrushing Gianluigi Buffon, the Slovakian knocked it too far ahead of himself and it rolled harmlessly out of play.
After such a promising opening, the game deteriorated rapidly thereafter, with Juve only threatening sporadically through set pieces from Pirlo, while Napoli were restricted to nothing more than long-range strikes from the likes of Hamsik.
The second half continued in the same vein so the source of the game’s opening goal came as no surprise, with Napoli failing to deal with a free kick from Pirlo from the right-hand side which bobbled around in the box before Bonucci diverted a hopeful effort from Vucinic into the back of the net.
The visitors tried to rally but to absolutely no avail and Vidal deservedly doubled the home side’s advantage when he fired home after turning Hugo Campagnaro inside out.
The Bianconeri put the seal on a victory which draws them to within points of Serie A leader AC Milan when De Sanctis somehow allowed a shot from Quagliarella to beat him at his near post.
After a dour first half, the Bianconeri opened the scoring midway through the second period when Leonardo Bonucci deflected a shot from Mirko Vucinic past a helpless Morgan De Sanctis.
Artuo Vidal scored a sublime second before substitute Fabio Quagliarella completed the rout with a late third.
Both sides initially appeared intent on picking up where they left off at the San Paolo in November, treating fans to a wonderfully open start to the game.
The hosts looked particularly menacing and really should have taken the lead just four minutes in but Marco Borriello – surprisingly recalled to the Juventus starting lineup – inexplicably failed to get his head on the end of a most delicious delivery from Pirlo. Borriello did manage to connect with a Stephan Lichtsteiner cross moments later but the on-loan forward’s header flashed wide.
The Partenopei then gave Juve an almighty scare on 13 minutes when Hamsik found himself in on goal after a delightful one-two with Ezequiel Lavezzi but in trying to take the ball around the onrushing Gianluigi Buffon, the Slovakian knocked it too far ahead of himself and it rolled harmlessly out of play.
After such a promising opening, the game deteriorated rapidly thereafter, with Juve only threatening sporadically through set pieces from Pirlo, while Napoli were restricted to nothing more than long-range strikes from the likes of Hamsik.
The second half continued in the same vein so the source of the game’s opening goal came as no surprise, with Napoli failing to deal with a free kick from Pirlo from the right-hand side which bobbled around in the box before Bonucci diverted a hopeful effort from Vucinic into the back of the net.
The visitors tried to rally but to absolutely no avail and Vidal deservedly doubled the home side’s advantage when he fired home after turning Hugo Campagnaro inside out.
The Bianconeri put the seal on a victory which draws them to within points of Serie A leader AC Milan when De Sanctis somehow allowed a shot from Quagliarella to beat him at his near post.
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Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Striker Milan |
28 | 10 |
|
Diego Alberto Milito
Striker Inter |
24 | 8 |
|
Antonio Di Natale
Striker Udinese |
23 | 4 |
|
Edinson Cavani
Striker Napoli |
23 | 3 |
|
R. Palacio
Striker Genoa |
19 | 3 |