Juve match home record with win over Fiorentina

Juventus collected a record-equalling 14th consecutive home victory with a 1-0 win over Fiorentina at Juventus Stadium.

It means Antonio Conte's side have now equalled Torino's record of 1975-76 and stretches the old lady's lead at the top of the table to 14 points.

Despite claiming a remarkable 4-2 victory over Juventus in October, the Viola were always up against it, winning just one of their previous 21 games in Turin.

The home side dominated proceedings throughout the first-half but it took 42 minutes to break the deadlock, with Kwadwo Asamoah claiming his second goal of the season after cutting in from the flank before hammering a powerful shot into the roof of the net.

Carlos Tevez had the first real opportunity of the match on 14 minutes, latching onto a through ball from Paul Pogba but the Argentine was unable to keep his shot down.

Asamoah went close 11 minutes later when he drilled a shot from just outside the area and with the effort looking goal bound, it took a deflection off a Fiorentina defender.

Pogba then had a chance to break the deadlock on 28 minutes but despite a great first touch, he skied his half volley well over the bar from close range.

But Juventus finally took the lead through Asamoah with the first-half drawing to a close, much to the relief of manager Conte who met the goal with joyous celebrations.

Fiorentina had not produced a shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes but the visitors came flying out of the blocks for the second period and they thought they had levelled the scores just three minutes after the restart.

The ball fell at the feet of Modibo Diakite who made no mistake by slotting the ball home. Unfortunately for Vincenzo Montella's side, the linesman had his flag raised and the goal was ruled out for offside.

Mario Gomez could and should have grabbed the equaliser on 58 minutes but he somehow headed his effort wide of the goal from 10 yards.

Substitute Matos Ryder had Fiorentina's best chance of the match when he headed against the crossbar with his first touch with just 13 minutes to play.

That proved to be the final opportunity for fourth placed Fiorentina who had the chance to extend their four point lead ahead of Inter. Walter Mazzarri's team host Torino later this afternoon.

Elsewhere, Lazio's crisis deepened when they lost 1-0 at home to Atalanta in an almost deserted Stadio Olimpico as fans stayed away in the latest protest against club president Claudio Lotito.

Maxi Moralez piled on the misery when he snapped up a rebound to score on the hour and the hosts had midfielder Antonio Candreva sent off four minutes later when he was given a second yellow card for diving.

An unorthodox header by Rodrigo Palacio gave fifth-placed Inter Milan a 1-0 win at home toTorino as they continued a slow but sure recovery from a mid-season crisis.

The Argentine appeared to be trying to head the ball back across goal but instead it looped over goalkeeper Daniele Padelli and into the net, extending Inter's unbeaten run to five games.

Sampdoria scored four second-half goals to beat Livorno 4-2 after Ibrahima Mbaye scored a first-half brace for the relegation-threatened visitors.

Nenad Kristicic, a Federico Ceccherini own goal, Stefano Okaka and Manolo Gabbiadini replied for Sampdoria who have made huge strides under former Serbia coach Sinisa Mihajlovic.

Alberto Paloschi converted two penalties, the first after five minutes and the second deep into stoppage time, to give Chievo a 2-1 win over Genoa, who thought they had taken a point when Alberto Gilardino levelled in the 88th minute.

Parma beat Verona 2-0 while Sassuolo celebrated the return of coach Eusebio Di Francesco by drawing 0-0 at Bologna to end a seven-match losing run.

Di Francesco was fired in late January but returned last week after his replacement Alberto Malesani lost all five games in charge.

Juventus have 72 points from 27 games, 14 points clear of second-placed AS Roma who were away to third-placed Napoli in the evening game (1945).

Fiorentina have 45 points, one ahead of Inter with Parma a further point behind in sixth. At the bottom, Chievo (24 points) and Bologna (23) are just outside the relegation zone which is occupied by Livorno (21), Chievo (20) and Sassuolo (18).