Dusan Vlahovic bagged a brace after the Moise Kean opening header, as Juventus scraped a 3-2 victory away to Empoli thanks to the crossbar and moved closer to the top spot.
The Bianconeri were coming off four consecutive 1-1 draws in all competition, with a growing injury list of Paulo Dybala, Weston McKennie, Daniele Rugani, Alex Sandro, Giorgio Chiellini, Federico Bernardeschi, Kaio Jorge and Federico Chiesa. The Tuscans beat them in Turin earlier this season, but were without a win in nine Serie A rounds.
Only a desperate Guglielmo Vicario save prevented Denis Zakaria opening the scoring after he combined with Dusan Vlahovic to go clear one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Vlahovic’s angled drive skimmed the far post, as did a deflected Zurkowski effort, while the same player had penalty appeals waved away for a clumsy Adrien Rabiot challenge.
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Just as Empoli were stepping up the pressure, they conceded when Rabiot whipped a cross from the left for Kean at the back post, a well-timed leap and header downwards.
However, the Tuscans got a deserved equaliser after a series of corners, this time it pinballed around in the six-yard box until Zurkowski got the final toe-poke in-between a sea of legs.
It didn’t last long, as Juve restored their advantage in first half stoppages. Arthur won it back in midfield, Juan Cuadrado smartly pretended to shoot only to place a no-look pass for Vlahovic, who changed direction to beat the goalkeeper from 12 yards.
Vlahovic showed real quality for the third goal, his second. It wasn’t a great pass from Alvaro Morata, but the first touch almost with his heel was magnificent, getting it into position to dink over the on-rushing goalkeeper.
There were penalty appeals at both ends for potential trips on Morata and Andrea La Mantia, but VAR and the referee did not intervene on either of them.
Empoli did get back into it, as Nedim Bajrami’s deflected free kick was going into the far top corner until Leonardo Bonucci nodded it onto the crossbar, the move continued and Andrea La Mantia’s finish squirmed past Szczesny at the near post for 2-3.
It was very nearly 3-3 moments later, Bonucci’s clearance hitting La Mantia’s shin to ricochet inches wide from six yards.
Empoli 2-3 Juventus
Kean 32 (J), Zurkowski 40 (E), Vlahovic 45, 65 (J), La Mantia 76 (E)