Dybala puts Juve in cruise control
Turin, March 1: Paolo Dybala’s second-half penalty double put holders Juventus in control with a 3-1 win over Napoli in the first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal on Tuesday.
Spaniard Jose Callejon had given the visitors the lead after 36 minutes as the hosts looked out of sorts at home in Turin.
But Dybala’s double on 47 and 69 minutes, either side of fellow Argentine Gonzalo Higuain’s goal on 64 minutes gave Juventus their tenth consecutive win in all competitions.
Juventus travel to the Stadio San Paolo in Naples on Wednesday, March 5.
Napoli had controlled much of the first half with Callejon slotting in after good work by Lorenzo Insigne and the Arkadius Milik in breaking down the Juventus wall.
But the holders equalised after the break when Dybala was fouled by Kalidou Koulibaly in the box.
Higuain pulled Juve ahead as he scored from a narrow angle off a corner, with Dybala again called on for penalty duties after Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina brought down Juan Cuadrado.
DORTMUND MATCH CALLED OFF Berlin: Borussia Dortmund’s German Cup quarterfinal at giant-killers Sportfreunde Lotte was called off on Tuesday because of heavy snowfall before kick-off.
Third-division Lotte have beaten Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen and Bayer Leverkusen in previous rounds. Earlier on Tuesday, Eintracht Frankfurt booked their place in the semifinals with a 1-0 win at home to Arminia Bielefeld.
MINNOWS STUN AUXERRE Paris: Frejus-Saint-Raphael of the French fourth tier stunned four-time French Cup winners Auxerre 2-0 at home to make the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Neupocoussek Mendy and Karim Tlili got the goals as the French Riviera minnows enjoyed their greatest exploit.
Top-flight Angers also go into the hat for the quarterfinals after a 1-0 win at third-tier CA Bastia in Corsica.