Soccer

Fernando Llorente brace keeps Juve on course for title

Lead is now eight points with six games to go after Roma had closed the gap to five

Juventus’ Fernando Llorente (left) celebrates with teammate Carlos Tevez after scoring against AS Livorno. Photograph: Alessandro Di Marco / EPA
Juventus’ Fernando Llorente (left) celebrates with teammate Carlos Tevez after scoring against AS Livorno. Photograph: Alessandro Di Marco / EPA
Mon Apr 07 2014 - 20:58

Fernando Llorente scored twice in three minutes to keep Juventus on course for a third successive Serie A title with a 2-0 home win over struggling Livorno tonight.

Second-placed AS Roma had brought the title race to life by slashing Juve’s lead from 14 to five points in the previous eight days but today’s comfortable win left Antonio Conte’s side eight points clear with six matches to play.

Juventus, who have 84 points from 32 games, also have the easier run-in with matches against midtable Udinese, Atalanta and Cagliari and relegation-threatened Bologna and Sassuolo as well as a visit to Roma in the penultimate round of the season.

Roma must still face Fiorentina and AC Milan and finish with a tough match at Genoa.