Dybala’s hat trick helps Juve overcome Benevento challenge

Paulo Dybala scored a hat trick and Serie A leader Juventus overcame a series of defensive lapses in a 4-2 win at last-place Benevento yesterday.

Cheick Diabate scored twice for Benevento before Dybala converted the second of his two penalties in the 74th minute to finally put Juventus ahead for good.

Juventus moved seven points clear of Napoli, which hosts Chievo Verona on Sunday.

Coming off a debilitating 3-0 loss at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals, and ahead of next week’s second leg, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri rested several regular starters.

Dybala opened the scoring with a shot from the edge of the area into the far corner midway through the first half.

Diabete, a Mali forward, notched his first from close range after he was left unmarked following a rebound off goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who played in place of Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon.

Just before the break, the VAR awarded Juventus a penalty that Dybala converted for contact between Berat Djimsiti and Miralem Pjanic.

Diabate rose above defender Medhi Benatia to head in another equaliser in the 51st for his fifth goal in four matches since arriving on loan from Turkish club Osmanlispor.

Ten minutes after he was sent on, Gonzalo Higuain earned a penalty and Dybala again was perfect from

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Douglas Costa, another substitute, sealed the victory with a longrange goal in the 82nd.

INSPIRED FIORENTINA

Fiorentina won at Roma 2-0 for its fifth straight win - and sixth straight victory overall - since its captain Davide Astori died a month ago of a suspected cardiac arrest.

Riccardo Saponara and Giovanni Simeone scored before halftime for the Viola.

Edin Dzeko and Patrik Schick hit the crossbar for Roma amid a superb performance from Fiorentina goalkeeper Marco Sportiello.

Third-place Roma remained only one point ahead of Inter Milan and two points ahead of Lazio, which each play today. Napoli also hosts Chievo Verona.

Fiorentina is seventh, one point below the Europa League spots.

On Tuesday, Roma hosts Barcelona in the Champions League looking to overcome a 41 first-leg deficit. The Giallorossi then face Lazio in the Rome derby next weekend.

Also, Atalanta equalised late with a penalty from Marten de Roon for a 1-1 draw at Spal, which had gone ahead with a header from Thiago Cionek.

In the Genoese derby, Sampdoria and Genoa shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw.Sampdoria are on 48 points, two behind 7th placed Fiorentina. Genoa have 35 points.

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