Juve coach Claudio Ranieri was given a lifeline Saturday after striker Amauri bagged his third goal in a week to give Juventus a 1-0 win over Torino in a hotly-contested Turin derby in Serie A.
The victory followed two league defeats on the bounce for Juve and further eased the pressure on Ranieri after Tuesday’s 2-1 Champions League win over Real Madrid. Amauri, who scored the winner against Real having also netted in the 2-1 defeat at Napoli last Saturday, burst down the left flank early in the second hlf and his shot crept under Torino’s goalkeeper Alex Calderoni.
The 28-year-old forward, who was signed from Palermo at the end of last season, has applied for an Italian passport and could soon force his way into Italy coach Marcello Lippi’s plans afer having never played for his native Brazil.
“To score the winner in my first derby is a dream. I am happy that Juve have returned to being the real Juve,” Amauri told Sky Italia TV. “We can’t stop now.”
In the earlier game, Siena and Catania played to a 1-1 tie.