In-form Carlos Tevez leads Juventus to another 1-0 victory

Rome: Juventus striker Carlos Tevez scored a magnificent first-half goal, and later missed a penalty, as the runaway Serie A leaders won 1-0 win at home to mid-table Genoa on Sunday.

Juve`s third straight victory by the same scoreline puts them 17 points clear with 10 games left before second-placed AS Roma visit lowly Cesena later on Sunday (1945 GMT).

Despite the size of their lead, Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri remained cautious, telling Sky Sport Italia: "We haven`t won anything yet. We`ll celebrate when the time comes."

Tevez scored when he collected a pass from Claudio Marchisio on the edge of the area in the 25th minute and ran past Andrea Bertolacci and Sebastien De Maio before rifling a shot past Mattia Perin from an acute angle that went in off the bar.

The Argentine, the league`s top scorer with 16 goals, then missed a penalty just past the hour mark when Genoa`s substitute keeper Eugenio Lamanna, who had replaced the injured Perin nine minutes earlier, made a terrific save.

Genoa, the only team to beat Juve in Serie A this season, had a chance to equalise with 10 minutes left when Diego Perotti appeared set to tap in Facundo Roncaglia`s cross, only for Andrea Barzagli to block his effort at the last moment.

"Having Barzagli back is very important," Allegri added. "He allows us to play with a three or a four-man defence."

Barzagli suffered a right heel injury last summer and only returned 10 days ago.

Genoa are ninth on 37 points from 27 games.

Earlier, Emploi`s Riccardo Saponara struck a second-half double as they defeated Sassuolo 3-1 to move up to 12th with 33 points, a point above their opponents who are now 15th.