Parma 0-1 Juventus: Pogba snatches late winner

Posted Sunday, November 03, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Paul Pogba scored the only goal of the game as Juventus beat Parma 1-0 on Saturday evening.

The midfielder's strike 13 minutes from time helped to heal the wounds caused by Juve's capitulation at Fiorentina, where it surrendered a two-goal halftime lead on the way to a 4-2 defeat.

Pogba tucked home a rebound from eight yards on 77 minutes after Fabio Quagliarella's long-range effort came back off the crossbar, to secure a third league win on the bounce for the visitors.

With both sides having played on Wednesday, there were six changes in each team as the respective coaches looked to keep their squads fresh, with Andrea Pirlo and Fernando Llorente among those that Juventus coach Antonio Conte opted to rest.

The first chance of note came in the 11th minute, Massimo Gobbi dragging his angled effort wide of the post following patient approach play by the hosts.

Juventus threatened for the first time four minutes later, as Carlos Tevez linked up with strike partner Sebastian Giovinco inside the area before firing his effort straight at Antonio Mirante.

Arturo Vidal, who scored the Bianconeri's first in their 4-0 win over Catania on Wednesday, was next to test Mirante in the 26th minute when his cleanly hit strike from 35 yards was comfortably gathered by the goalkeeper.

After a quiet first half, the home side went close to breaking the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Amauri's clever back heel rolled wide of the left hand post after Jonathan Biabiany had outwitted Giorgio Chiellini down the right-hand side and pulled the ball across the six-yard box.

With clear opportunities at a premium, Tevez wasted a glorious chance to put his side ahead with 20 minutes remaining. After being picked out by Simone Padoin's low cross in the middle of the box, the Argentine was denied by the legs of Mirante.

But the game's decisive moment was just around the corner as Pogba tucked home from close range after Quagliarella, on as a replacement for Tevez, struck the crossbar from 25 yards.

That goal was enough to secure all three points and leave Juventus two points behind leader Roma, which faces Torino on Sunday.