Soccer-Juve back to winning ways as Allegri throws caution to the wind

MILAN, Jan 22 ( Reuters) - Serie A leaders Juventus bounced back from a rare defeat with a 2-0 win over Lazio on Sunday after coach Massimiliano Allegri threw caution to the wind with their pride having been clearly wounded by last weekend's reverse at Fiorentina.

Allegri, an often pragmatic coach, fielded an ultra-attacking line up and it quickly paid off as his side brushed aside sleepy Lazio with early goals from Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuain on the way to a 27th straight home league win.

Juve, now four points clear of AS Roma, who have also played 20 games and host Cagliari in the late game, coasted in the second half and will finish the weekend top of the table.

The champions have 48 points ahead of Roma on 44 along with Napoli, who won 2-1 at AC Milan on Saturday, while Lazio stay fourth with 40 points from 21 games.

Juve started the match with three forwards plus winger Juan Cuadrado and also switched to a four-man defence as Allegri responded to criticism of a lacklustre performance after their 2-1 defeat in Florence.

Dybala broke the deadlock after five minutes when he met Mario Mandzukic's header at an awkward height and fired home a low volley from outside the area.

His fellow Argentine Higuain added the second when he caught two defenders napping and got in between them to turn home Juan Cuadrado's cross for his 14th league goal this season.

Higuain had another effort disallowed while defender Leonardo Bonucci turned the ball just wide from a cross by the Argentine after charging forward before halftime. (Writing by Brian Homewood; editing by Ken Ferris)