Dybala and Higuain on target as Juventus bounce back with win

Juventus returned to winning ways on Sunday as early strikes from Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain steered the Serie A leaders to a 2-0 victory over fourth-placed Lazio.

Dybala notched his fifth league goal of the season five minutes into the contest at the Juventus Stadium with a fine left-footed effort from the edge of the box.

And Higuain added his 14th of the campaign 11 minutes later, converting from close-range having met a Juan Cuadrado cross.

That proved enough to clinch all three points for Massimiliano Allegri's men as they moved on from the 2-1 loss at Fiorentina last time out.

Dybala failed to hit the target with two decent chances after the break, either side of a claim for a penalty from Lazio that was waved away by referee Davide Massa.

Dybala's goal came when he connected in superb style with a knockdown from Mario Mandzukic, hitting a firm shot that goalkeeper Federico Marchetti got a hand to but could not prevent from going in.

Higuain then made it seven goals for him in five Serie A appearances as he tucked the ball in from Cuadrado's whipped delivery on the right.

Lazio's search for a swift reply saw Sergej Milinkovic-Savic fire narrowly wide from outside the box, before Higuain headed in a Dybala free-kick around the half-hour mark, only to see the flag raised for offside.

It was Higuain then providing the cross three minutes before the break from which Leonardo Bonucci sent an excellent effort just the wrong side of the post.

After Lazio applied some pressure early in the second half, with Stefan Radu and Felipe Anderson unsuccessfully trying their luck, Dybala was presented with a decent opportunity, only to drill a low shot wide.

There was an anxious moment for Allegri in the 57th minute when Cristiano Lombardi went down in the Juve box following contact from Kwadwo Asamoah and the visitors protested that a spot-kick should be awarded - but play continued.

Dybala was then guilty of a miss seemingly even more glaring that his earlier failed attempt, slipping the ball wide having been played through one-on-one.

Marko Pjaca, who came on for Higuain with three minutes of normal time remaining, sent a late shot and header off-target before the final whistle confirmed the home side's job was done.