- Hernanes - 42'
- Simone Zaza - 80'
Juventus celebrate Serie A triumph by beating battling Carpi
Hernanes broke his duck as Juventus celebrated winning the Serie A title for the fifth year in a row by beating relegation-threatened Carpi 2-0 in Turin.
Six days after results elsewhere meant Massimiliano Allegri's indomitable side had done enough to lock Napoli out of the race for the 2015-16 championship, the Bianconeri returned to the Juventus Stadium to give their loyal following even more reason to be cheerful.
In the 42nd minute Brazilian playmaker Hernanes finally found a maiden goal after enduring a near nine-month drought and Juve eventually broke through a resolute Carpi defence for a second time as substitute Simone Zaza scored with a late header.
Defeat leaves Carpi three points above the bottom three with 18th and 19th-placed rivals Palermo and Frosinone in action later on Sunday afternoon.
Having secured their latest Scudetto without kicking a ball when Roma beat second-placed Napoli on Monday, it was time for Juve to follow up their wild training base festivities with a party on home turf.
Carpi were, however, unwilling to roll over with the relegation zone yawning beneath them and the promoted club proved difficult to break down.
Juve tested their resolve with an early sighter from Paul Pogba that Vid Belec punched clear, before Alvaro Morata headed Alex Sandro's cross just wide.
Carpi were not rattled and passed the ball around the middle of the park with confidence.
Simone Verdi was able to break into the Juve box and force a low save from Gianluigi Buffon in the 21st minute and seconds later Emanuele Saugher was close enough to goal to attempt an acrobatic finish that missed the mark by inches.
The hosts' class was always going to divide the two teams, though, and Pogba reminded Carpi they were up against the five-time Italian champions when he gracefully skipped past a host of defenders to set up Alex Sandro on the left wing.
That entertaining manoeuvre came to nothing but its mirror image resulted in the opening goal with three minutes to go before the break.
Kwadwo Asamoah took receipt of an impressive cross-field pass to the right before teeing up Hernanes for a powerful drive that found Belec's glove and then the bottom corner.
The Brazilian signed from Inter Milan in August celebrated his first goal in Bianconeri colours with a backflip.
It was not the start of a goal rush, however, as Carpi's resilient approach meant Juve would find life tough after the break.
Indeed the Biancorossi would carve out the first real chance of the second half, substitute Kevin Lasagna releasing Filippo Porcari for a long-range strike that shaved paint off a post in the 76th minute.
Juve found the goal they needed to kill the game off barely five minutes later. Zaza, on the pitch as a half-time replacement for Morata, won an aerial duel with Simone Romagnoli to head Pogba's cross beyond Belec.
Game Information
Italian Serie A Standings
Team | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atalanta | 17 | 13 | 1 | 3 | +23 | 40 |
Napoli | 17 | 12 | 2 | 3 | +14 | 38 |
Internazionale | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | +27 | 37 |
Lazio | 17 | 11 | 1 | 5 | +8 | 34 |
Fiorentina | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | +16 | 31 |
Juventus | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | +15 | 31 |
Bologna | 16 | 7 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 28 |
AC Milan | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | +9 | 26 |
Udinese | 17 | 7 | 2 | 8 | -5 | 23 |
AS Roma | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 19 |
Empoli | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | -3 | 19 |
Torino | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | -5 | 19 |
Genoa | 17 | 3 | 7 | 7 | -12 | 16 |
Lecce | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -18 | 16 |
Parma | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | -10 | 15 |
Como | 17 | 3 | 6 | 8 | -12 | 15 |
Hellas Verona | 17 | 5 | 0 | 12 | -19 | 15 |
Cagliari | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | -12 | 14 |
Venezia | 17 | 3 | 4 | 10 | -13 | 13 |
Monza | 17 | 1 | 7 | 9 | -8 | 10 |