Arturo Vidal scores twice as Juventus defeat Cesena

Updated: May 17, 2023, 06:30 am

Juventus defended their place at the top of Serie A with Arturo Vidal on target twice in a 3-0 win over Cesena.

The Chilean scored first from the penalty spot and then from open play as Massimiliano Allegri's men made it four wins out of four at the start of the season.

Stephan Lichtsteiner added the third in a dominant performance from the Bianconeri.

Allegri made a few changes to his usual starting XI, most notably giving Vidal his first start of the season and resting Carlos Tevez with Sebastian Giovinco taking his place.

The pint-sized forward was a livewire as usual and he want close to giving Juventus the lead with a free-kick in the 10th minute which hit the wall before his rebound was pushed over the crossbar by Nicola Leali.

Arturo Vidal put away two goals to keep Juventus at the top of Serie A.
MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images

Juve continued to press and they had two penalty appeals waved away before Emanuele Cascione was adjudged to have blocked Roberto Pereyra's shot intentionally with his arm.

Vidal stepped up and although Leali went the right way, and got a hand to the ball, he could not keep the Chilean's spot-kick out.

Fernando Llorente and Giovinco both went close to adding a second in what was becoming a monologue for the hosts, who still had to wait until the 64th minute before Vidal settled any nerves.

Giovinco was the provider for the midfielder to drill in his shot from just outside the penalty area.

That broke Cesena's resistance and their belief that they might snatch a point, and Juve had chances to run away with it.

In the end, they had to settle for a third goal from Licthsteiner, who lifted his shot over the onrushing Leali to make it three in the 85th minute.

Giovinco was denied the goal which would have capped his evening in the 88th minute when he hit the post, but enough damage had already been inflicted on Cesena.