Dybala nets treble as Juve beat defiant Benevento

Serie A leader Juventus needed two penalties, the second a hugely controversial one awarded for an alleged trip on Gonzalo Higuain, to win 4-2 at bottom-of-the-table Benevento after the host twice came from behind to equalise Saturday. Paulo Dybala, sent off in the 3-0 Champions League defeat at home to Real Madrid Tuesday, converted both spot kicks on his way to his third league hat-trick of the season. The main talking point, however, involved Higuain's role in winning the second penalty. Nicolas Viola stuck out his leg as Higuain collected a pass and the Argentine's legs immediately crumpled even though replays showed no visible contact.

Paulo Dybala has now scored 24 goals across all competitions this season; his best-ever tally in a single campaign.

? pic.twitter.com/XWic2Gpl1e — Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 7, 2018

However, the referee awarded a penalty and Dybala converted to complete his hat-trick in the 74th minute and put the Turin side 3-2 ahead. Substitute Douglas Costa then completed the scoring with eight minutes left. Dybala put Juve ahead in the 16th minute, scoring with a curling shot from the edge of the area, but Cheick Diabate levelled for Benevento from close range eight minutes later. Juventus went back in front in first half stoppage time after Miralem Pjanic was tripped and Dybala converted the first penalty of the afternoon, but Diabate headed Benevento level again six minutes into the second half.

Paulo Dybala has now scored three Serie A hat-tricks this season:

⚽️⚽️⚽️ vs. Genoa ⚽️⚽️⚽️ vs. Sassuolo ⚽️⚽️⚽️ vs. Benevento All of them away from home. ? pic.twitter.com/nFMm52IeZ2 — Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 7, 2018

Juve's win took them seven points clear of second-placed Napoli who host Chievo Sunday. Benevento coach Roberto De Zerbi did not want to comment on the penalties. Fiorentina, seventh with 50 points, won their sixth match in a row when first-half goals from Marco Benassi and Giovanni Simeone gave them a 2-0 win at third-placed AS Roma, who have 60 points.

Two players have scored three road hat-tricks in one @SerieA_TIM season.

? Giampiero Boniperti (1949/50) ? Paulo Dybala (2017/18) ??? #FinoAllaFine pic.twitter.com/wndP1Nbt9B — JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) April 7, 2018

RESULTS Benevento 2 (Diabate 24, 51) Juventus 4 (Dybala 16, 45-P, 74-P, Costa 82) Roma 0 Fiorentina 2 (Benassi 7, Simeone 39) SPAL 1 (Cionek 39) Atalanta 1 (de Roon 78-pen) Sampdoria 0 Genoa 0   SUNDAY'S MATCHES Torino v Inter Milan, Crotone v Bologna, Verona v Cagliari, Napoli v Chievo, Udinese v Lazio and Milan v Sassuolo   POINTS TABLE Teams P W D L GD Pts Juventus 31 26 3 2 56 81 Napoli 30 23 5 2 44 74 Roma 31 18 6 7 24 60 Inter 30 16 11 3 29 59 Lazio 30 17 6 7 34 57 Milan 30 15 6 9 7 51