Italian Serie A
JuventusJuventus1BolognaBologna0

Juventus 1-0 Bologna

Paul Pogba

Juventus closed in on a third successive Serie A title as a narrow home win against Bologna retained their eight-point lead at the top of the table.

Second-placed Roma beat fourth-placed Fiorentina 1-0 later on Saturday, to leave Juve two wins from the title.

Bologna, still needing points for survival, defended solidly against heavy home pressure.

But Paul Pogba's low drive broke the deadlock after the break.

Juventus have now won all of their 17 home league matches this season and will become the first Italian side to ever break the 100-point barrier if they win their last four Serie A games.

Even without a Roma slip-up, wins in Juve's next two games - at struggling Sassuolo and at home to Europa League-chasing Atalanta - would secure them a 30th league title.

If Juve drop points against either of those sides, they could win the title when they visit Roma on 9 May.

Manager Antonio Conte's contract expires in June 2015 and the club are desperate to tie him down to a long-term deal.

Conte has been the architect of the Turin club's dominance since arriving at the club in 2011. They had just finished seventh in Serie A under Luigi Delneri and were still suffering the effects of the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal, which had seen them stripped of two titles and relegated to Serie B in 2006.

Juventus also have a Europa League semi-final with Portugal's league leaders Benfica on Thursday, with a place in the final at their Juventus Stadium in May up for grabs over the two legs.

The hosts dominated the first half but, with top scorer Carlos Tevez starting on the bench after injury, they were wasteful in front of goal, midfielder Paul Pogba twice having shots saved by goalkeeper Gianluca Curci.

Mauricio Isla was denied by Curci after the break as Juventus struggled to break down their dogged opponents, until Pogba struck clinically from 20 yards.

Radja Nainggolan's first-half strike was enough to give Roma victory in a tight match at Fiorentina.

Elsewhere AC Milan enjoyed a 3-0 home win over Livorno, their fifth straight victory. Mario Balotelli, Adel Taarabt and Giampaolo Pazzini were on target.

Line-ups

Juventus

Formation 3-5-2

  • 1Buffon
  • 33IslaSubstituted forPadoinat 81'minutes
  • 22Asamoah
  • 3Chiellini
  • 5Ogbonna
  • 15Barzagli
  • 6Pogba
  • 8Marchisio
  • 14Llorente
  • 12GiovincoSubstituted forVidalat 89'minutes
  • 21Pirlo

Substitutes

  • 4Cáceres
  • 7Pepe
  • 9Vucinic
  • 10Tévez
  • 13Peluso
  • 18Osvaldo
  • 20Padoin
  • 23Vidal
  • 27Quagliarella
  • 30Storari
  • 34Rubinho

Bologna

Formation 3-5-1-1

  • 1Curci
  • 8Garics
  • 3Morleo
  • 21Cherubin
  • 6Sorensen
  • 5AntonssonBooked at 53minsSubstituted forLaxaltat 80'minutes
  • 20Barreto da SilvaSubstituted forPaponiat 70'minutes
  • 19Christodoulopoulos
  • 99Cristaldo
  • 11FribergBooked at 74mins
  • 24PazienzaSubstituted forAcquafrescaat 89'minutes

Substitutes

  • 9Bianchi
  • 10Moscardelli
  • 12Acquafresca
  • 13Laxalt
  • 15Pérez
  • 16Malagoli
  • 22Mantovani
  • 32Stojanovic
  • 35Cech
  • 88Paponi
Referee:
Piero Giacomelli

Match Stats

Home TeamJuventusAway TeamBologna
Possession
Home64%
Away36%
Shots
Home17
Away8
Shots on Target
Home7
Away2
Corners
Home6
Away1
Fouls
Home15
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Juventus 1, Bologna 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Juventus 1, Bologna 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Bologna) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

  4. Post update

    Hand ball by Arturo Vidal (Juventus).

  5. Post update

    Attempt saved. Diego Laxalt (Bologna) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by György Garics with a cross.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Robert Acquafresca (Bologna) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniele Paponi with a cross.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Bologna. Robert Acquafresca replaces Michele Pazienza.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Juventus. Arturo Vidal replaces Sebastian Giovinco because of an injury.

  9. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  10. Post update

    Delay in match Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus) because of an injury.

  11. Post update

    Attempt saved. Paul Pogba (Juventus) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Simone Padoin with a cross.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Angelo Ogbonna (Juventus).

  13. Post update

    Gianluca Curci (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Corner, Juventus. Conceded by Erik Friberg.

  15. Post update

    Paul Pogba (Juventus) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Archimede Morleo (Bologna).

  17. Post update

    Foul by Fernando Llorente (Juventus).

  18. Post update

    Frederik Sorensen (Bologna) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Post update

    Offside, Juventus. Kwadwo Asamoah tries a through ball, but Fernando Llorente is caught offside.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Bologna) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Erik Friberg.

Scores, Results & Fixtures

Saturday 19th April 2014

  • JuventusJuventus1BolognaBologna0
  • AtalantaAtalanta1Hellas VeronaHellas Verona2
  • CataniaCatania2SampdoriaSampdoria1
  • ChievoChievo0SassuoloSassuolo1
  • GenoaGenoa1CagliariCagliari2
  • LazioLazio3TorinoTorino3
  • AC MilanAC Milan3LivornoLivorno0
  • ParmaParma0Inter MilanInter Milan2
  • UdineseUdinese1NapoliNapoli1
  • FiorentinaFiorentina0RomaRoma1

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