Gonzalo Higuain brace helps Juventus beat Atalanta 3-1
Gonzalo Higuain scored twice as Juventus came from behind to win at Atalanta 3-1 in Serie A on Saturday.
League leader Juventus maintained its one-point advantage over Inter Milan, which won at Torino 3-0.
Robin Gosens opened the scoring for Atalanta early in the second half but Higuain netted twice in eight minutes and set up Paulo Dybala in stoppage time.
“It is difficult to dominate here; they make everyone suffer,” Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri said. “It's like going to the dentist; maybe you come out well, but you suffer.”
Juventus was without Cristiano Ronaldo, having left the forward at home so he’s fully fit on Tuesday for the Champions League match against Atletico Madrid.
Atalanta hadn’t beaten Juventus in Serie A since 2001 but had a great chance to take the lead in the 17th minute when it was awarded a penalty. But Musa Barrow hit the crossbar and Mario Pasalic headed the rebound over.
Atalanta dominated but was kept at bay by some fine saves from Wojciech Szczesny, until 11 minutes into the second half. Barrow crossed from the right of the penalty area for an unmarked Gosens to head in at the back post.
Juventus leveled in the 74th as the ball went to Higuain in a scramble in the penalty area and his swiveling effort was deflected into the bottom right corner.
“For us its three points lost after having been superior in everything for 75 minutes,” Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said. “Higuain’s equalizer is the illustration of an unlucky day: Double rebound and a deflection.”
There was controversy around Higuain’s second as there appeared to be a handball from teammate Juan Cuadrado in the buildup. Atalanta players were furious and called for an on-field review but the video assistant referee deemed it unnecessary.
Higuain turned provider in stoppage time with a delightful cross-field ball for Dybala to extend Atalanta’s winless run to five matches.
EASY DOES IT
Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku scored again for Inter to help it to a comfortable win in miserable conditions in Turin.
“With Lukaku, we’re getting to know each other better every day,” Martinez said. “It doesn’t matter who scores, just that the team wins.”
Heavy rain delayed the start of the match, and when it began Martinez fired Inter in front in the 12th with an angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Inter doubled its lead 20 minutes later when Stefan de Vrij escaped his marker for the simplest of tap ins at the back post.
Lukaku sealed the result 10 minutes into the second half with his 10th league goal.
Between them, Lukaku and Martinez have 16 league goals, more than half of Inter’s tally.
STRUGGLING NAPOLI
Napoli failed to snap a five-match winless run as it was held at AC Milan to 1-1.
Hirving Lozano gave Napoli the lead in the 24th, heading in the rebound after Lorenzo Insigne’s effort crashed off the corner of the goalframe.
But Giacomo Bonaventura leveled four minutes later with a magnificent long-range effort.
Napoli remained seventh and four points off a Champions League spot.
Milan was 13th.
