Juventus continue their Derby della Mole dominance with victory over Torino

Federico Gatti and Arkadiusz Milik ensured Juventus’ domination of the Derby della Mole continued as they defeated Torino 2-0 at the Allianz Stadium.

Defender Gatti and substitute Milik both scored after the break to settle a hard-fought encounter in which the visitors rarely looked like ending a wait for a victory over their arch-rivals, which now extends to 19 games.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men struggled to create openings before half-time, but dominated after the opening goal and were ultimately good value for their win.

Indeed, the visitors barely mustered an attempt of note on Wojciech Szczesny’s goal as they looked for a first win on enemy soil since April 1995.

Juve thought they had got off to the perfect start when striker Moise Kean smashed the ball home with just five minutes gone, but his joy instantly turned to frustration courtesy of an offside flag.

Midfielder Valentino Lazaro registered the visitors’ first effort of note when he blazed over from a tight angle, but in an open encounter, Kean was only just unable to get to Filip Kostic’s 18th-minute driven cross at the far post.

However, clear-cut chances were few and far between as the first half unfolded, although home goalkeeper Szczesny had to palm away Raoul Bellanova’s 28th-minute cross at his near post after he had linked with Demba Seck down the right.

Bellanova blazed wide after an enterprising run as he cut in a minute before the break, but the sides went in level with neither keeper having been troubled unduly.

Juve took the lead two minutes after the restart when former Torino youth player Gatti forced the ball home at the second attempt amid a goalmouth scramble after keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic had come for, but failed to collect, a right-wing corner.

The goal was only awarded after a lengthy VAR check as Brazilian defender Bremer received treatment in the goalmouth after being accidentally caught in the face by team-mate Kean’s flying boot.

Duvan Zapata saw a 57th-minute attempt deflected over Szczesny’s crossbar as Torino looked for a way back into the game, but their hopes were dealt a significant blow five minutes later.

Milik, a half-time replacement for Fabio Miretti, had forced Milinkovic-Savic to concede a corner by turning his downward header over the crossbar, but he got the better of the keeper from the resulting set-piece, heading home with the help of a deflection off his shoulder.

Zapata headed straight at Szczesny from Mergim Vojvoda’s cross with four minutes remaining – Torino’s first effort on target – but Milinkovic-Savic had to get down well to repel Milik’s skidding strike seconds later as the hosts eased across the finishing line.