Juventus defeat torrid Milan to claim third-straight Serie A win
AC Milan continued their torrid run against Juventus as the Serie A champions secured their third league win in a row with a 1-0 victory.
Milan, who arrived in Turin on a five-game unbeaten run, have now lost six consecutive Serie A matches to the Bianconeri as Paulo Dybala's second-half goal proved the difference between the two sides. With both teams enduring rough starts to the campaign, three points were vital as they try to keep up with the top four. Juventus started positively as Claudio Marchisio and Hernanes tested 16-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the Milan goal.
The visitors were happy to defend in numbers and continued to restrict the hosts to long-range efforts in the first half. The reigning champions could have gone ahead in the closing stages of the first half when Hernanes' free-kick deflected off a Milan defender and Donnarumma had to readjust brilliantly to tip over his shot.
Juve changed their formation at the interval and it paid dividends as Dybala broke the deadlock after 65 minutes. Paul Pogba 's lofted pass was collected by the overlapping Alex Sandro on the left and the Brazilian's cross was chested down by Dybala before he smashed home past Donnarumma.
Dybala could have added a second minutes later but his scuffed shot was comfortably saved. The teenage goalkeeper then kept his side in it as he dived full stretch to save Pogba's swerving shot.
After a spirited defensive effort in the first half, Milan threw more bodies forward in an attempt to find the equalizer. The Rossoneri had their first real glimpse of Gianluigi Buffon's goal in the 70th minute but midfielder Juraj Kucka could only sky his volley.
Buffon did, however, have to be alert to make his first save of game as he parried Alessio Cerci's low shot in stoppage time. Juventus now leapfrog their opponents into sixth place after the victory while Milan drop to seventh.
