Pirlo screamer settles Turin derby

30 November 2014 20:01

A last-gasp screamer from Andrea Pirlo saw Juventus stretch their impressive record over Torino in a 2-1 'Derby della Mole' win that helped the champions go six points clear of title rivals Roma on Sunday.

Torino's last victory over the 30-time Italian champions was back in 1994-95, when they beat Juve home (3-2) and away (2-1).

At the end of a highly-entertaining clash between the Turin rivals, Massimiliano Allegri's hosts looked to be heading for a share of the spoils at rain-battered Juventus Stadium after Brazilian defender Bruno Peres levelled Arturo Vidal's 15th minute penalty for the hosts with a wonder-strike in the 22nd minute.

It was the first time Torino had scored against Juventus in the league since a 2-2 draw between the sides in 2002.

But despite Torino showing plenty of enterprise in a thrilling second-half, the visitors were undone in the final seconds when Pirlo, from 25 yards, smashed Vidal's lay-off past goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet in the third minute of added on time.

"Well done to Vidal for spotting me," Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia. "We're all ecstatic. To win a derby in the final seconds and with 10 players gives us massive satisfaction."

Juventus lost Swiss defender Stephan Lichsteiner for the final 12 minutes after he saw red for a second bookable offence -- he will be suspended for next week's visit to Fiorentina.

Allegri admitted a draw would have been justified.

"Maybe a draw would have been a fairer result, but sometimes football gives back what it has taken from you before," Allegri told Sky.

"This win makes up for our defeat (last month) to Genoa," added Allegri, who praised Torino's enterprise.

"Torino's approach opened the game right up and is the kind that can put you in difficulty.

"After their equaliser, it got more difficult for us, but the lads believed in it right till the end."

Juventus are now six points clear of Roma, who host Inter Milan in Sunday's late game.

Fellow title rivals Napoli dropped to fourth place, with Genoa going the other way after an impressive 3-0 defeat of Cesena, but will look to move back up when they visit Sampdoria on Monday.

- first win in six -

Earlier, Jeremy Menez struck a second-half brace in a 2-0 win over Udinese as struggling AC Milan grabbed their first success in six matches to move up to provisional fifth place.

Both sides finished with 10 men after Maurizio Domizzi and Michael Essien were sent off within minutes of each other late in the second half.

Domizzi's expulsion followed his tug on Keisuke Honda, which earned the hosts a penalty just after the hour.

Menez stepped up to wrong-foot Orestis Karnezis to claim his sixth league goal of the campaign on 65 minutes, and then beat the goalkeeper from open play 10 minutes later to secure the win.

Before then, Milan had spurned several chances to put the match beyond reach, with Stephan El Shaarawy notably keeping the impressive Karnezis on his toes, while Menez and Honda also spurned chances to break the deadlock.

Milan were notably denied an early opener when Adil Rami's flicked header from a corner was scrambled out by Karnezis, although television replays suggested the ball had crossed the line.

Milan coach Filippo Inzaghi said: "It was our best game of the season. We gave the fans a great performance and there are a lot of positives to take from today."

He played down suggestions the referee had got both the penalty decision and the expulsion of Domizzi wrong.

"I don't think those influenced the game. We dominated from start to finish."

Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni complained: "We should have had a penalty when (Emmanuel) Badu was fouled, then came the incident that decided the game.

"Not so much for the penalty, more for the expulsion of Domizzi."

Elsewhere, Fiorentina leapt up the table with a surprise 4-0 romp at Cagliari, while Palermo claimed a 2-1 win over basement side Parma.

Source: AFP