Football: Mandzukic, Dybala fire Juve to record scudetto
Juventus claimed a record sixth consecutive Serie A title with 3-0 win over Crotone on Sunday.
TURIN (AFP) - First-half goals from Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala, and a late header from Alex Sandro sealed a 3-0 win over Crotone to hand Juventus a record sixth consecutive Serie A title Sunday.
Massimiliano Allegri s men took a one-point lead over Roma into their penultimate game of the league campaign and needed a win to secure the title.
Ahead of their final game at Bologna next week, Juve are now four points ahead of their closest challengers.
Mandzukic gave the hosts a 12th minute lead when he met Juan Cuadrado s cross at the back post to fire past Alex Cordaz in the visitors net.
Croatia international Mandzukic, celebrating his 31st birthday, almost gave Juve a 2-0 lead before Fabio Sampirisi toe-poked the ball away from the big forward as he teed up.
But the fans who packed out Juve s stadium for their final home game of the campaign were not to be denied.
Dybala doubled the Turin giants lead with a sumptuous free kick that curled into the top corner to leave Cordaz with no chance six minutes before half-time.
Looking for a win to boost their top-flight survival hopes, Crotone came close to reducing arrears on the stroke of half time when Diego Falcinelli s effort deflected off Mehdi Benatia s back to leave keeper Gianluigi Buffon stranded, the ball skimming the far top corner.
But the Calabrians were never likely to deny Juventus the well-deserved title celebrations, that had been put on hold last week when Roma stunned Allegri s men 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Juve bounced back from their defeat in the capital three days later with a 2-0 Cup final victory over Lazio.
And their third consecutive league and Cup double, also a record, was al but sealed seven minutes before full time when Cordaz palmed Sandro s bullet header in off the underside of the crossbar, goal-line technology confirming it had crossed the line.
Juventus will now turn their focus to winning an unprecedented club treble when they face 11-time champions Real Madrid in the Champions League June 3 final in Cardiff.
