ROME: Alessandro Matri scored twice as Juventus beat Cagliari 3-1 in the Serie A on Saturday, less than a week since the striker left the Sardinian club on the final day of the transfer window.
Matri struck in each half to help Luigi Del Neri's team end a run of three consecutive losses.
In between Matri's goals, Robert Acquafresca equalized for Cagliari. Under pressure, Juventus striker Luca Toni headed powerfully from the edge of the area to seal the victory with four minutes remaining.
"He's a good player," Toni said of Matri. "He's a great buy and will be important for the future of Juventus. During these tough times we've stayed united as a squad and got on with our work taking it game by game."
Matri squandered an early chance to score when Cagliari 'keeper Michael Agazzi raced off his line to block the shot after Claudio Marchisio put him through on goal.
Agazzi then tipped Alberto Aquilani's volley away for a corner.
Matri scored the opener when Milos Krasic played him in behind Cagliari's defense and he hit a low drive past Agazzi.
Radja Nainggolan wasted a chance to pull the hosts level. He failed to reach the ball with the goal at his mercy after Gianluigi Buffon missed Andrea Cossu's free kick.
In the second half Cossu set up Cagliari's equalizer. He picked out Acquafresca at the far post and the striker volleyed it past Buffon.
Cossu nearly created a second five minutes later, but Daniele Conti volleyed his free kick wide from close range.
Matri punished his former teammates for such profligacy when he hit a volley past Agazzi from a cross by Giorgio Chiellini. Toni then completed the scoring, when he guided Alessandro Del Piero's cross past Agazzi for his 100th goal in the Serie A.
"This goal means a lot of things to me," Toni said. "Lots of people say I am finished, but here I am and I have a large desire to carry on and keep scoring goals for a club like Juventus."
Also, Antonio Di Natale scored his 100th Serie A goal for Udinese in its 2-0 win over Sampdoria.
"I've been waiting for it for two weeks," Di Natale said. "I'm happy for myself and the team because it was a difficult game. I came to Udinese when I was young and I would like to remain here."
The Italy international scored Udinese's second just before halftime, after Alexis Sanchez opened the scoring in the 18th.
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