Juventus 1-0 AS Roma: Former Defender Haunts Romans at Highly Anticipated Reunion in Turin

Juventus closed the gap on ​SSC Napoli at the top of the Serie A table with a thrilling 1-0 victory over high-flying AS Roma.

One goal from Medhi Benatia proved too much for the travelling Giallorossi, extending Roma's winless run against ​Juventus in Turin.

Edin Džeko had Roma's first sighter of goal, getting on the end of a Stephan El Shaarawy cross to test the reactions of Juve's defence. 

Minutes later, Sami Khedira, Mario Mandžukić and Gonzalo Higuaín could have broken the deadlock for the hosts, but they all dragged their shot agonisingly wide.

Juventus finally got their goal following two world-class saves from AS Roma's goalkeeper, Alisson Becker. The Brazilian kept Giorgio Chiellini's header out with a powerful save, before his fingertips directed Medhi Benatia's shot onto the bar. 

However, the former Roma defender was there once again and at the third time of asking, the Old Lady took a deserved lead.

Higuaín was left lambasting the referee after he felt he was fouled following a mix up between Alisson and Federico Fazio before the half-hour mark, with Wojciech Szczęsny then being called into action to keep out El Shaarawy.

Both sides were limited to a handful of half chances in the remainder of the first-half, with the first few minutes after the restart following the same pattern.

Gonzalo Higuaín had the first real chance of the second-half, sending a golden chance to double Juventus' advantage over the bar from close range. 

Edin Džeko found himself with a great opportunity to score for Roma, with Chiellini coming close to putting the ball into his own net once the ball was returned to the penalty area.

Alisson was once again called into heroics for Roma to deny Blaise Matuidi, with Miralem Pjanić also seeing his effort kept out by the 25-year-old goalkeeper. 

Alessandro Florenzi came the closest to getting the visitors on the scoresheet late on, with the right-back ghosting in behind Chiellini and diverting a delivery onto Wojciech Szczęsny's crossbar.

Cengiz Ünder, Diego Perotti and Patrik Schick also came close to levelling the scoreline in the dying seconds of the match. However, the Old Lady were able to hold out, even hitting the visitors woodwork in added time through Miralem Pjanić, claim all three points at the Juventus Stadium to close the gap at the top of the ​Serie A table.