Played
December 15, 2013 6:30 PM WAT
Juventus Stadium — Torino
Referee: M. Bergonzi
Attendance: 38000
December 15, 2013 6:30 PM WAT
Juventus Stadium — Torino
Referee: M. Bergonzi
Attendance: 38000
Juventus 4-0 Sassuolo: Tevez hat-trick restores Bianconeri pride
The Serie A champions were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage last week but their Argentine striker ensured there was no European hangover on Sunday
Getty
The Italian champions went into the game after being eliminated from Europe’s premier club competition by Galatasaray in midweek, but were back to their best to claim their eighth straight Serie A victory. Tevez was the driving force behind a vibrant attacking display from Antonio Conte's side, with Sassuolo unable to cope with the Argentina striker as he scored his first treble for the club and set up Federico Peluso for the hosts' other goal at Juventus Stadium.
The former Manchester City man opened the scoring with a typically predatory strike on 15 minutes and swung in a perfect set-piece for Peluso to double Juve's advantage shortly before the half-hour mark.
He then ended the game as a contest on the stroke of half-time by rounding Gianluca Pegolo and slotting home, before grabbing his 10th Serie A goal of the season, 22 minutes from time, with another close-range finish.
The result moves Juve six points clear of second-placed Roma, who visit Milan on Monday, while newly-promoted Sassuolo remain fourth-bottom.
Juve unsurprisingly dominated the opening exchanges, but had to wait until the quarter-hour mark to break the deadlock.
A free-flowing move ended with Fernando Llorente playing a smart pass to Arturo Vidal, who saw his fierce shot parried away by Pegolo, only for Tevez to react quickest and convert from close range.
The 29-year-old then turned provider for Peluso on 28 minutes, as the left-back met a pinpoint free-kick from the right with a perfect diving header that flew in off the post.
And the irrepressible Tevez was at it again just before the break as he raced on to an under-hit backpass to cleverly round Pegolo and tap home his second of the game.
Juve and Tevez picked up where they left off after the break with the forward firing into the side-netting from inside the area, but he did not have to wait long to complete his first hat-trick in Italian football.
Tevez started an incisive move with a pass to Vidal, before the Chile international played it wide for his compatriot Mauricio Isla to swing in a low cross that Tevez placed past the helpless Pegolo at the front post.
With the three points secure, Conte opted to withdraw Tevez and Vidal as Juve closed out the game with ease to make it 17 Serie A home fixtures without defeat. ----------------- goal.com
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