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

Gonzalo Higuain scored after 14 minutes to decide the game for the Bianconeri - but Luciano Spalletti's men strived and toiled for an equalising goal, dominating possession and dictating play for large periods as they tried manfully to break the home side down.

In the end it was not to be - and, in truth, Juventus had chances on the counter that were only denied by some great goalkeeping from Wojciech Szczesny - as Massimiliano Allegri's side opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table.

Spalletti's team will undoubtedly look back on this game with a great deal of frustration, an agony at what might have been.

The difference was Higuain's solo strike - a strong run and pinpoint finish from just inside the box - but, that moment apart, Roma played well and put the defending champions on the backfoot for long spells, restricting them to mostly creating openings on the counter-attack.

Roma pushed and pushed but clear-cut chances were hard to come by, with a number of corners cleared away inside the six-yard box and openings for Radja Nainggolan and substitute Stephan El Shaarawy.

The best chance, perhaps, fell to Diego Perotti: But his first-time shot on the turn was hard to execute and ended up comfortable for Gianluigi Buffon.

Spalletti did what he could to change the game - throwing on Salah, El Shaarawy and Bruno Peres - but an equaliser would not be forthcoming.

Roma will now look to bounce back against Chievo, and at least ensure the gap in the league is back to just four points by the time Christmas arrives.

Team selection

Luciano Spalletti had one big call to make with his team selection and he opted for a surprise choice - picking Gerson in midfield in place of the not-quite-fit Bruno Peres.

With Mohamed Salah, like Peres, deemed only fit enough for a place on the bench, it was Gerson who came in to shore up the midfield, with the team changing shape slightly as a result.

Key moments

FIRST HALF

1’ – Higuain hits a tame shot at Szczesny.

10’ – Mandzukic is released and finds Higuain, but Szczesny saves well low to his right.

12’ – De Rossi booked despite winning the ball against Pjanic. He protests but the referee does not listen

14’ – Goal. Juventus lead. Higuain wriggles free and then curls one into the far corner off the post. 1-0.

23’ – An acrobatic attempt from Nainggolan does not quite come off.

24’ – Nainggolan goes by his man after another good team move and fires into the side-netting.

26’ – A Perotti cross does not quite find Dzeko. Roma improving and getting on the ball more.

26’ – Sturaro is booked for a foul.

28’ – Gerson is booked for a late challenge on Alex Sandro.

34’ – Nainggolan’s determination nearly yields an opening, but Buffon makes the smothering block.

41’ – Handball?! Manolas appeals after his close-range shot comes off Lichtsteiner … but the referee says no.

45’ – Roma win another corner but it comes to nothing.

1 / 7

2 / 7

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7 / 7

See more images in our match gallery.

SECOND HALF

45’ – Salah replaces Gerson at half-time.

63’ – A corner is scrambled away by the Juventus defence.

70’ – GREAT SAVE SZCZESNY! Questions of offside as Chiellini gets behind the defence, the ball eventually falls to Sturaro but Szczesny stops from close range!

76’ – Strootman wins the ball, Salah gets past his man and feeds Perotti … but he shoots straight at Buffon.

79’ – Fazio flicks on a Perotti free-kick, but it glances off Cuadrado and agonizingly wide of goal!

81’ – El Shaarawy goes for the spectacular but cannot make the right contact.

83’ – Dybala comes on and an early shot is well saved.

86’ – El Shaarawy’s header from a Peres cross is tipped over.

88’ – Another El Shaarawy header is flicked narrowly wide.

89’ – Sturaro gets around Fazio … but Szczesny makes another good save.

Key match statistics

See more match statistics in our match centre.

Social media reaction

Roma reaction

"I think we played pretty well. They had a couple of chances to score a second when we were pushing on for an equaliser, while we had several half-chances ourselves that might have gone for us but didn't."It hurts to lose this match but I think we were good for a point given the way we set about things and how we played.”

- Radja Nainggolan

“[It leaves us] in a bad place, despite all the pressure we piled on at the end. When we had them pressed back we did a great job of stifling their counter-attacks but our decision-making wasn't always spot on. We could and should have carved out a few more openings. We were clumsy and they managed to soak up the pressure.”

- Luciano Spalletti

What's next?

The Giallorossi have just one game left in 2017 - a Serie A game against Chievo at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.

With Juventus playing in the Super Cup in Doha instead of another Serie A fixture, Spalletti's side at least have the chance to close the gap back to four points ahead of the New Year - albeit having played a game more.

JUVENTUS 1-0 ROMA

Goalscorers: Higuain (14')

Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Rugani, Benatia, Alex Sandro; Khedira, Marchisio, Sturaro; Pjanic; Mandzukic, Higuain.

Roma: Szczesny; Rudiger, Manolas (Peres), Fazio, Emerson; Strootman, De Rossi (El Shaarawy), Gerson (Salah); Nainggolan, Perotti; Dzeko.