Higuain scores again as Juve extend lead over Roma
milan — If Gonzalo Higuain continues like this, he could break his own Serie A record.
Higuain scored his eighth goal in his past six league matches to set Serie A leader Juventus on its way to a 2-0 win at Sassuolo on Sunday.
It was the Argentine’s 15th goal of the season, moving him level with Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi and Roma’s Edin Dzeko at the top of the goalscoring charts.
Higuain scored 36 goals last season for Napoli to break a 66-year-old Serie A record before transferring to Juventus for an Italian-record 90 million euros ($100 million).
Juventus extended its lead in Serie A back to four points over Roma. Napoli can move level with the capital side in second place with a win over Palermo later. It took Higuain less than nine minutes to open the scoring as a delightful backheel from Mario Mandzukic released Alex Sandro on left and he crossed in for Higuain to tap in from eight yards.
Higuain turned provider in the 25th, stealing the ball from Paolo Cannavaro in midfield and bursting down the left before putting in a cross, which was allowed through thanks to Paulo Dybala’s dummy and was fired in by Sami Khedira.
Dyabala almost extended Juve’s lead in the 54th but his effort crashed off the right post with Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli beaten.
Roma’s title challenge took a blow as its bad luck at Sampdoria continued with a 3-2 loss.
Roma has only won once in its last eight visits — in 2013 — with four defeats and three draws.
The capital side got off to the perfect start as it took the lead in the fifth minute when Sampdoria goalkeeper Christian Puggioni could only parry Emerson Palmieri’s speculative shot and Bruno Peres drilled in the rebound for his first goal for the club.
Samp levelled in the 21st as Luis Muriel burst down the right and crossed in for Dennis Praet to fire into the top right corner.
It was the first goal Roma had conceded in 2017. —