Juventus 4-0 Empoli: Kean stars as Old Lady ease to victory
By Mitch Wilks
Juventus strolled to a 4-0 win at home to Empoli on Friday night, clinching just their fifth victory of the Serie A season in style.
Empoli seemed shell-shocked from the first whistle with the hosts starting so confidently, and couldn't find a way to relieve the mounds of pressure they were put under.
Crucially, Juve made good on a strong start, pulling ahead after just eight minutes when Moise Kean fired in his first goal of the season. Empoli dusted themselves down quickly, though, and came close to an equaliser when Razvan Marin tested Wojciech Szczesny from distance some ten minutes later.
The hosts were in control for the most part, though, creating chances with regularity through Juan Cuadrado and Weston McKennie, who stood out in the first half. The American should've scored after 36 minutes, but his first-time shot was batted away by the legs of Guglielmo Vicario.
An encouraging 45 minutes in the Allianz Stadium saw Juve take a lead into half-time, but with the deficit still at just one goal and Empoli looking lively on the break, there was still work to be done.
Very aware of that truth, Juve came out of the blocks quickly after the break and made their domination count. McKennie continued to impress and made amends for spurning a chance in the first half, heading in from Cuadrado's delivery to double Juventus' lead after 56 minutes.
Now two goals ahead, Massimiliano Allegri's side were in cruise control and could sit back and allow Empoli to attack, in order to punish them on the counter. And they did exactly that. Despite a brief spell of positive possession around the hour mark, the visitors looked helpless as the hosts picked them off, creating a glut of chances.
Kean was strutting his stuff in attack and headed in brilliantly to make it 3-0 to Juventus, but the goal was chalked off for offside following a lengthy check.
That didn't deter the hosts, though, who only grew in confidence as the minutes ticked away. Cuadrado and Filip Kostic dominated in wide areas, fashioning chances for fun which ultimately allowed Juve to make it 3-0 after 82 minutes, putting the icing on the cake.
Cuadrado's corner was met by Adrien Rabiot, who headed in at the back post to end a 38-game wait for a goal in Serie A. And after such a long wait for one goal, suddenly the second came on the same night, as he slotted home for 4-0 in injury time to secure three points on a brilliant night at the office for the Old Lady.