Rate it!

4 votes

Juventus put the disappointment of their midweek exit from Europe firmly behind them by coming from behind to beat Bologna 4-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.

Having been bounced out of the Champions League by Chelsea on Tuesday, Claudio Ranieri's side picked themselves up to move to within four points of leaders Internazionale with victory in Turin.

Goals by Hasan Salihamidzic, Sebastian Giovinco and a brace from Alessandro Del Piero provided the perfect tonic for Ranieri while serving to heap pressure on Inter ahead of the champions' clash with Fiorentina on Sunday.

But the evening got off to a bad start for Juve, and they had to come from behind after Massimo Mutarelli opened the scoring for Bologna with a neat finish under the body of Gianluigi Buffon on 24 minutes.

After a rather muted performance in the opening period, Juve sparked into life in the second half and drew level just four minutes after the restart, Salihamidzic glancing a header past the unfortunate Francesco Antonioli.

With the score level at 1-1, chances fell at both ends, with Antonioli pulling off good stops to deny Giovinco and Del Piero before Buffon was brought into action at the other end to save from Marco Di Vaio.

Antonioli then saved from Olof Mellberg's close-range flick before Del Piero hit the top of the crossbar with a header on 70 minutes.

Juve's pressure soon told and moments later Giovinco put the hosts into the lead with a sliced shot that nevertheless nestled in the corner of the goal.

The evergreen Del Piero finally got the goal he deserved with a quarter of an hour left, finishing superbly to put his side 3-1 up.

The Juve skipper then put the result beyond any doubt on 88 minutes, pouncing to net his second after Antonioli could not hang on to his first-time effort.

There was still time for Del Piero to crash a shot against the woodwork but four goals was more than enough to stay within striking distance of Inter.

Earlier, Champions League hopefuls Genoa moved into fourth spot when substitute Ruben Olivera secured a 1-0 win at 10-man Cagliari.

The striker headed in from close range after 84 minutes to break Cagliari's brave resistance after the Sardinians had midfielder Andrea Cossu harshly sent off for a second booking before the break.

The hosts, pushing for a Europa League berth, came the closest to scoring in the first half when a Diego Lopez header struck the post but Genoa eventually prevailed having earlier rattled the bar through forward Diego Milito.

The Europa League will replace the UEFA Cup next season.

Mike Hytner / Reuters