UDINE (Italy): Two goals in 10 first half minutes from Sebastian Giovinco and Fernando Llorente were enough for Juventus to close in on their third straight Serie A title with a 2-0 stroll at Udinese on Monday.

The win sent them eight points clear of AS Roma at the top on 87 points with five games remaining as a scudetto that has rarely looked in doubt heads towards the dominant Turin side.

Roma kept their slim hopes of a first scudetto since 2001 alive with a 3-1 win at home to Atalanta on Saturday which reduced the gap to five points.

But any thoughts Antonio Conte’s men, beaten 2-0 away at Napoli two weeks ago, would suffer a slip-up at the Friuli Stadium were quashed inside the first half hour of a largely one-sided contest.

With Carlos Tevez rested, Giovinco was handed a rare start and he put Juventus in front in the 16th minute, dribbling his way into the right of the area before curling a shot into the far corner.

Juventus doubled their lead 10 minutes later when Spanish striker Llorente prodded in a rebound for his 14th goal of the season after a goalmouth scramble following a corner to leave a hapless Udinese with a mountain to climb at a near empty stadium..

Juventus remain firmly on course for a Serie A and European double as they face Benfica in the Europa League semi-finals.

“This was a ‘red flag’ match, we could have lost points at Udine,” Conte said. The title race is still open and we did well to face this match with the right determination, approach and concentration.

“We know Roma aren’t giving up and although we’re in front we have to have the same attitude.

“I knew Giovinco was in great form. He has to realise he can make the difference even in a team like Juventus. We decided to rest Carlos also because he still has a bit of a thigh problem. We need everyone because we are involved on two fronts.”—Agencies