Juventus celebrates 10th consecutive clean sheet in win over Sassuolo

Milan - Gianluigi Buffon's impressive unbeaten run in Serie A gave Juventus a second reason to celebrate on Friday as the champion opened up a six-point lead on title rival Napoli with a 1-0 win over Sassuolo.

Paulo Dybala's superb strike in the 36th minute made the difference in Turin as Juve, bidding for a record-equalling fifth consecutive crown, took its unbeaten run to 19 games to keep the pressure on Napoli ahead of its trip to Palermo on Sunday. The Bianconeri also set a Serie A record with their 10th consecutive clean sheet.

(Courtesy: Juventus)

Reputed giant-killer Sassuolo was unbeaten since a 2-0 home defeat to Roma in early February, Eusebio Di Francesco's men beating Lazio and AC Milan amid a recent three-game winning run.

But the Neroverdi's winning streak came to an end when Dybala latched on to Juan Cuadrado's well-worked delivery, controlled on the right side of the area and beat Andrea Consigli at the 'keeper's far post with a superb curling drive.

Related - VIDEO: Dybala sets personal goal record with outrageous curler vs. Sassuolo

Juve wasted a number of first-half chances before fading away in a tamer second period that seemed all about protecting the lead as well as stretching Buffon's unbeaten run in a single Serie A season.

The Italy veteran started the game unbeaten over 836 minutes and, having surpassed the legendary Dino Zoff's tally of 903 minutes in the 67th minute - bringing rousing applause from the fans and emotions on the face of Buffon - he went on to finish on 926 minutes unbeaten, just three behind the 929-minute record set by Sebastiano Rossi with Milan in 1994.