Juventus 3-1 Fiorentina: Instant Reaction

• Pre-match thoughts: .
  
  
• With Napoli and AS Roma drawing 0-0 before the game, an ideal opportunity had arisen for Fiorentina to place some distance between themselves in second place and Napoli in third.
  
  
• Despite their poor start to the season, Juventus had won five straight league games and were just five points behind Fiorentina. This made the game just as important for halting the advance of the Bianconeri as for the Viola consolidating their own position.

• Half-time thoughts:
  
  
• A frenetic first few minutes saw Fiorentina take the lead via a Josip Ilicic penalty. The visitors were awarded the spot kick after Federico Bernardeschi was brought down in the box by Giorgio Chiellini. 
  
  
• Juventus hit back straight away, inevitably through ex Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado after he headed in Patrice Evra's cross.
• The half ended 1-1 with the victory all to play for

• Full-time thoughts:
• Referee Daniele Orsato was busy throughout the second half with a series of fouls from both side, which broke up the flow of the game.
• Juve burst into life with ten minutes remaining, Mario Mandzukic putting the home side ahead by smashing home a Dybala effort that had been initially saved well by Ciprian Tatarusanu
• The points were sealed in the last minute when Paulo Dybala created space in the box after latching onto the end of Juan Cuadrado's ball
• Fiorentina had some decent spells of posession, however lacked real cutting edge in the game. They remain in second place, however Juventus are rapidly gaining pace and now lie just two points behind.

Juventus (3-5-2):Buffon; Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini; Cuadrado, Khedira (Sturaro 62), Marchisio, Pogba, Evra (Alex Sandro 77); Mandzukic (Morata 88), Dybala

Cuadrado 6, Mandžukić 80, Dybala 90+3

FIORENTINA (3-4-2-1); Tatarusanu; Tomovic, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Astori; Bernardeschi, Badelj, Vecino (Rossi 86), Mendoza (Pasqual 85); Borja Valero, Ilicic (Fernandez 89); Kalinic

Goals: Ilicic 3'

We’ll be back later with a full recap of all the action, but for now you can talk about the match in the comments below. What did you love? What did you hate? Sound off, Viola Nation!