Juventus 1-0 Roma: Match report, reaction and key statistics

Former Giallorossi defender Medhi Benatia scored the only goal of the game for the Bianconeri, turning home from a corner after Alisson had just make two fantastic saves to deny him and Giorgio Chiellini.

Roma struggled to create clear-cut openings at the Allianz Stadium but did improve as the game wore on - with Alessandro Florenzi hitting the bar and Patrik Schick being denied from a great one-on-one opportunity in a frantic finale to the game.

The result means the Giallorossi remain fourth in the Serie A standings - now six points behind Juve and seven behind league leaders Napoli (albeit with a game in hand on both).

Team selection

Eusebio Di Francesco sprang few surprises with his starting line-up: restoring Aleksandar Kolarov at left-back as Edin Dzeko, Stephan El Shaarawy and Diego Perotti began the game in attack.

Daniele De Rossi captained the side, with Federico Fazio partnering Kostas Manolas in defence.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

5' - A dangerous-looking cross into the box from El Shaarawy is just cut out before Dzeko can get on the end of it.

6' - First good opening of the game falls to Juventus. Fazio makes a vital tackle on Cuadrado - but the ball falls kindly to Khedira, who drags his shot wide of goal.

8' - Mandzukic meets Matuidi's cross from the left but plants his header wide of the far post.

13' - Florenzi goes for the spectacular volley as Dzeko finds him in the box... but the shot is always going high and wide.

18' - Goal. Juventus lead. From a corner, Chiellini forces a good save from Alisson - but Benatia follows in the rebound and, at the second attempt, turns home. 1-0.

27' - CLOSE! Dzeko plays Perotti in behind the defence, he squares for El Shaarawy but Szczesny makes an important save!

30' - Dzeko wins a free-kick in a dangerous spot, but Kolarov's shot is deflected away for a corner.

32' - A better spell from Roma. Nainggolan lashes a shot from the edge of the box high and wide of Szczesny's far post.

See more images in our dedicated match gallery.

SECOND HALF

55' - Big chance for Juventus. Mandzukic combines with Khedira to play in Higuain, who fires over the bar from close range as Alisson closes him down.

66' - Save from Alisson! Alex Sandro crosses the ball low for Matuidi, but his shot is palmed away by the goalkeeper!

71' - Chance for Roma - but Dzeko fires over from inside the box.

80' - CLOSE... NO! OFF THE BAR! De Rossi finds Florenzi with a deep ball into the box - his first-time flick beats Szczesny but bounces off the woodwork and clear!

88' - Another good Roma chance. Perotti's cross is flicked on by Dzeko - Cengiz meets it at the far post but Szczesny bundles the ball away for a corner.

90'+2 - On the counter, Pjanic is allowed to run unchallenged before smashing a 25-yard drive off the crossbar.

94' - NOOOO! Glorious chance for Roma as Schick gets clean through on goal... he tries to slide his shot around Szczesny but the goalkeeper makes the save!

Key match statistics

See more game statistics in our dedicated match centre.

Social media reaction

Roma reaction

“I didn't come here to lose 1-0 and then go back home. I work with the team to instil confidence so that we can go anywhere and give anyone a game. We tried to do that today but Juve were much better than us at the start. We managed to stay in the game till the end despite riding our luck a little on some of their counter-attacks – and that's always possible given the way we play."We caused problems for Juventus and I don't think many sides have managed that here in Turin. We must take strength from that. It's a shame because we bossed the game against Torino and conceded from a set-piece. The same thing happened today with different players. Clearly we're not good enough yet and we need to work even harder at them.”

- Eusebio Di Francesco

“Juve are a great side. We wanted to press them high up the pitch, but when you do that it is always dangerous if they play out. "Coming here, and digging in like we did and then managing to create a few good chances without scoring, you do start to wonder if you'll be able to get a draw.”

- Radja Nainggolan

What's next?

Roma are in action again in a week: as they host Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico in their last game of 2017.

The first game of 2018 also takes place in the Italian capital, with the Giallorossi at home against Atalanta for the first of the campaign's return fixtures.

JUVENTUS 1-0 ROMA

Goalscorers: Benatia (18')

Juventus: Szczesny; Barzagli, Benatia, Chiellini, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Pjanic, Matuidi; Cuadrado, Higuain, Mandzukic.

Roma: Alisson; Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov; Nainggolan, De Rossi (Cengiz), Strootman (Pellegrini); El Shaarawy (Schick), Dzeko, Perotti.