TURIN, Italy, Oct 21 (Reuters) – Two goals by midfielder Adrien Rabiot helped Juventus crush Empoli 4-0 at the Allianz Stadium on Friday, as Massimiliano Allegri’s team won two consecutive Serie A games for the first time this season.
Juventus, who grabbed a 1-0 derby victory at Torino last time out, moved up one place to seventh on 19 points, one above Inter who travel to Fiorentina on Saturday.
Forward Moise Kean put the hosts ahead in the eighth minute when he tapped in a beautiful cross from Filip Kostic.
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The 22-year-old found the net in Serie A for the first time since April with his first goal at the Allianz Stadium this year.
Kean could have scored one more just after the half-hour mark but his header went narrowly wide.
Empoli had a chance to draw the scores level through striker Mattia Destro but Juve goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny did well to block his effort.
Weston McKennie doubled Juve’s lead shortly after the break when Juan Cuadrado sent in a great pass and the U.S. international headed the ball into the roof of the net.
Kean thought he increased their advantage but his effort was ruled out for offside and Juve failed to score again until Rabiot took advantage of another precise cross from Cuadrado to make it 3-0 with a header in the 82nd minute.
The Frenchman completed the rout in stoppage time to notch up his second brace this season for Juventus in all competitions.
Juventus travel to Lecce in Serie A on Saturday after visiting Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Empoli, 11th in the standings, host second-placed Atalanta on Oct. 30.
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Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Under-pressure Juventus cruise to 4-0 win over Empoli
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