Cuadrado and Dybala extend winning run

Juventus extended their winning streak in Serie A to 14 games with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Frosinone that keeps them within two points of leaders Napoli.

Published : Feb 07, 2016 23:58 IST , Turin

Dybala's well-taken 13th Serie A goal of the season completed Juve's record-breaking victory, with the champions surpassing their previous best of 13 successive league wins.
Dybala's well-taken 13th Serie A goal of the season completed Juve's record-breaking victory, with the champions surpassing their previous best of 13 successive league wins.
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Dybala's well-taken 13th Serie A goal of the season completed Juve's record-breaking victory, with the champions surpassing their previous best of 13 successive league wins.

Juventus extended their winning streak in Serie A to 14 games with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Frosinone that keeps them within two points of leaders Napoli.

Massimiliano Allegri's side were frustrated for much of the afternoon at Stadio Comunale Matusa before Juan Cuadrado and Paulo Dybala secured all three points with late goals.

The visitors enjoyed the better of a quiet first half with Stefano Sturaro, Dybala and Alvaro Morata wasting openings.

Daniel Ciofani blazed Frosinone's only chance of the first half over as the hosts frustrated the in-form champions, and that pattern continued after the restart with nine outfield players often sitting behind the ball to frustrate Juve.

But eventually Juve were rewarded for their patience 17 minutes from time, when Cuadrado ghosted in at the back post to fire low past Nicola Leali.

Dybala then made sure of the points in injury time with a clinical finish from Morata's pass as Juve kept pace with Napoli, who beat Carpi 1-0 at Stadio San Paolo, ahead of next Saturday's clash of the top two in Turin.

Juve delivered an early warning after five minutes as Sturaro went agonisingly close to converting Alex Sandro's left-wing cross, the midfielder given the freedom of the penalty area after a flowing move led by Cuadrado and Paul Pogba.

Frosinone were not fazed by that scare, though, and should have taken the lead after 13 minutes as Ciofani fired just over from Leonardo Blanchard's pinpoint pass.

Chances were at a premium after the lively start, but the visitors finished the half strongly with Sturaro, Dybala and Morata all going close.

Shortly after the half hour, a loose ball dropped to Sturaro 20 yards from goal, but his low shot was well parried by Leali before Dybala blasted the rebound over from six yards.

Morata - who had been relatively anonymous in the opening 45 minutes - then wasted a glorious opening just before the break after bustling his way through, Leali on hand to make a crucial save.

Juve started the second half with renewed vigour and saw Cuadrado test Leali with a 25-yard drive, before Pogba and Claudio Marchisio both snatched at chances just before the hour, the former mistiming his leap to meet Cuadrado's dangerous delivery. 

Dybala and Pogba were again wasteful as Juve's pressure appeared unlikely to produce the goal they needed, but a break from Alex Sandro with 17 minutes left proved decisive.

Having been released by Pogba, the Brazilian full-back drilled a low cross to the back post where Cuadrado was on hand to break the deadlock.

And Dybala's well-taken 13th Serie A goal of the season then completed Juve's record-breaking victory, with the champions surpassing their previous best of 13 successive league wins.


Key Opta stats:
- Frosinone failed to have a single shot on target for the first time this season.
- Frosinone touched the ball just twice in Juve's penalty area.
- Alex Sandro has scored two goals and made an assist in his last four Serie A appearances.

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