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| Federico Bernardeschi of Juventus celebrates with team mate Alvaro Morata after scoring to give the side a 2-0 lead during the Serie A match between Juventus and Cagliari Calcio at Allianz Stadium on December 21, 2021 in Turin, Italy. |
Federico Bernardeschi played a part in both goals as Juventus edged past Cagliari 2-0 on Tuesday to extend their unbeaten run in Serie A to five matches and make up ground on the top four.
Massimiliano Allegri's men had defeated Cagliari in nine of their previous 10 league meetings but were unable able to seriously assert their authority and were nearly made to pay before killing off the game late on.
Having earlier gone close with a header against the post, Moise Kean opened the scoring for Juve five minutes before half-time in their final match of a disappointing 2021.
Juve survived a couple of big scares in the second half before Bernardeschi, who created Kean's opener, struck in the 83rd minute to seal a win that moves the Bianconeri within four points of fourth-placed Atalanta, who drew 0-0 with Genoa elsewhere on Tuesday.
Kean headed Juan Cuadrado's right-sided cross against the upright with a thumping header 10 minutes into what proved a frustrating first half for the hosts.
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| Federico Bernardeschi of Juventus celebrates goal with teammate Alvaro Morata of Juventus (R) during the Serie A match between Juventus and Cagliari Calcio at Allianz Stadium on December 21, 2021 in Turin, Italy. |
However, the breakthrough duly arrived shortly before the interval when Kean adjusted his body to guide Bernardeschi's deflected cross past Alessio Cragno.
Cagliari, who have now conceded in 23 successive away league meetings with Juve, wasted a big chance to equalise before the hour as Dalbert steered wide from seven yards.
Joao Pedro did at least manage to test Wojciech Szczesny eight minutes later with a header down the middle that the Juve keeper tipped over.
But Juve made certain of the points through Bernardeschi's angled drive at the end of a counter, the winger ending a run of 513 days without a goal in Serie A.
