Dybala solo goal, Ronaldo rocket set up Juve win

Italian giants keep second-placed Lazio at bay by maintaining four-point lead

GENOA:

Juventus secured a 3-1 win at lowly Genoa on Tuesday to stay four points clear at the top of Serie A thanks to a solo goal by Paulo Dybala, a long-range rocket from Cristiano Ronaldo and an exquisite curling shot by Douglas Costa.

Genoa held out defiantly in the first half with goalkeeper Mattia Perin saving everything his former club could throw at home but they had no answer to Juve’s individual brilliance in the second period.

Dybala broke through when he collected the ball just outside the area, slalomed past three defenders and scored with a deflected shot in the 50th minute, Ronaldo thumped home a ferocious 25-metre drive seven minutes later and Costa added the third before Andrea Pinamonti pulled one back.

"It was a good team effort and we scored three brilliant goals," said Sarri. "The team have recovered well after the disappointment of losing the Italian Cup final, it was only a matter of time."

"They (Dybala and Ronaldo) have learned to look for each other more often," Sarri said of a blossoming partnership.

They have realised that by benefitting from each other, both reap the rewards. It's something I have noticed in training too.”

Juve have 72 points from 29 games with Lazio on 68 after their 2-1 win at Torino earlier on Tuesday. Genoa stayed 17th with 26 points, one point and one place above the relegation zone but having played a game more than the bottom three.