Cagliari 0-2 Juventus: Antonio Conte's triumphant side earns decisive victory to clinch Serie A title

Posted Monday, May 07, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

Juventus clinched its 28th Scudetto with a 2-0 victory over Cagliari in Trieste on Sunday night.

Going into the penultimate round of the Serie A season with a one-point advantage in hand over AC Milan, the Bianconeri turned in a professional – if uninspired display – against the Rossoblu, opening the scoring through Mirko Vucinic with just six minutes gone.

The visitors survived a penalty scare early in the second half, when Andrea Cossu went down in the area under pressure from Giorgio Chiellini, before sealing the victory – and indeed the title – courtesy of an own goal from Michele Canini and the Rossoneri’s dramatic 4-2 defeat by Inter at San Siro.

Just as it had done in midweek against Lecce, Juve struck early, with Vucinic coolly slotting the ball through Michael Agazzi’s legs after latching onto Andrea Barzagli’s chip in behind the Cagliari defence. Credit must go to the Montenegrin for a well-timed run and tremendously composed finish but it was far, far too easy from a Cagliari perspective, with the entire back four all guilty of ball-watching.

Juventus should have built on its early advantage but, in truth, it struggled thereafter, although Simone Pepe forced Agazzi into action again with an attempted curler at the tail end of the half before then seeing his low strike blocked after an incisive cross-field run.

Luckily for Juve, its opponents, for all their possession, posed little by way of an attacking threat and the closest they came to equalising was when the isolated Mauricio Pinilla fired a 35 yard shot just wide of Gianluigi Buffon’s right post after a powerful surge from deep.

Cagliari looked more menacing in the second period and very nearly earned a penalty on 53 minutes after a wonderful counterattack instigated by Radja Nainggolan but referee Daniele Orsato waved away the appeals after Cossu had been bundled over in the area by Giorgio Chiellini and booked the Rossoblu replacement for an alleged dive.

Juventus looked a little nervy but Vucinic lifted them with a terrific curling effort from the edge of the area which Agazzi kept out acrobatically before Martin Caceres headed just wide.

The arrival of a second goal seemed inevitable and it promptly came on 74 minutes, Canini deflecting a Caceres cross up and over a helpless Agazzi in the Cagliari goal.

Moments later news arrived from Milan that Inter had moved 3-2 up in the Derby della Madonnina, prompting wild scenes of celebration among the Juventus faithful – but calms for calm from coach Antonio Conte.

However, the former Bianconeri midfielder need not have worried as Inter added a fourth goal late on and undefeated Juventus ultimately cruised to its first legitimate Scudetto since 2003.