Juve steps closer to history

MILAN - Massimiliano Allegri hailed an "important step forward" as jittery Juventus edged closer to a record sixth straight scudetto with a 1-0 triumph at Sampdoria on Sunday.

"This is an important step forward because we have a very difficult end to the season," Allegri said after a 24th win of the campaign left the Turin giant eight points clear of Roma after its 3-1 win over Sassuolo later on Sunday.

"It was important to win here because as soon as we come back (after the international break) we face Napoli.

"The lads played one of the best first halves of the year and in the second, although we had a few chances, we put ourselves at risk when it would have been far easier to tighten up."

A superb seventh-minute header from Juan Cuadrado gave Juve the early advantage, but the loss of playmaker Paulo Dybala to a flexor-muscle problem in the 27th minute changed Allegri's strategy.

Dybala was replaced by Croatia forward Marko Pjaca, but Juve labored for the remainder and its former striker Fabio Quagliarella came close to equalizing for Sampdoria near the end.

Allegri's nerves were frayed on several occasions, notably when Kwadwo Asamoah, having provided Cuadrado's assist, panicked twice in the second half and almost gave away possession.

As the Genoa side kept up the pressure, Allegri erupted 12 minutes from the end when Dani Alves came off worst in a tackle against Vasco Regini.

"We have to be a bit more committed, not let players get past us and try to be more organized," said Allegri, whose side beat AC Milan 2-1 last week.

"Today we made only three or four fouls, while against Milan we suffered 21 and committed eight.

"We suffer a lot, but sometimes (committing) a foul can be useful."

An ineffective Gonzalo Higuain was replaced by Swiss midfielder Stephan Lichtsteiner for the closing minutes, but it was the visitor that finished strongest as Quagliarella fired an overhead kick over the bar.

"It's a shame, because we really deserved a share of the points," said Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo.

Agence France-Presse