Higuain ends Napoli’s unbeaten start

MILAN: Gonzalo Higuain struck an early goal to give Juventus a 1-0 win against Serie A leaders Napoli and end his former club’s unbeaten start to the league season on Friday.
It was the Argentine’s fifth goal in as many games against Napoli since he left the club in acrimonious circumstances to join the Turin side in July last year.
Champions Juventus, chasing a seventh successive title, defended resolutely and were rarely in danger despite allowing their uninspired opponents to dominate possession at the San Paolo stadium.
The win took Juventus within one point of Napoli who had gone unbeaten through their first 14 games, dropping only four points.
Higuain had an early chance when his shot from a tight angle was saved by Pepe Reina’s shoulder. He was not to be denied, though, and gave Juve the lead in the 12th minute when he ran on to Paulo Dybala’s astute pass and stroked the ball past Reina.
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon made a save from Marek Hamsik and two from Lorenzo Insigne to keep Juve in front at halftime.
Napoli penned Juventus in their own half for most of the second half but continued to be let down by their final passes and it was the visitors who came closest to scoring when Reina turned Blaise Matuidi’s volley over the crossbar at point-blank range.