Carlos Tevez scored one goal and created another to restore Juventus's 14-point lead at the top of Serie A as they edged to victory over Empoli.

The Argentine striker fired in from eight yards just before half-time from Arturo Vidal's indirect free-kick.

Roberto Pereyra made sure of the win in the final seconds after keeper Luigi Sepe had beaten out a Tevez shot.

But there was concern for Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri as midfielder Vidal limped off in the second half.

With Paul Pogba, Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio all absent with long-term injuries, Allegri can hardly afford to lose another midfielder ahead of his side's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Monaco on 14 April.

Juventus's lead had been cut earlier on Saturday by second-placed Roma, who beat Napoli 1-0.

They needed a bit of luck to go in front against mid-table Empoli, benefiting from a debatable decision by referee Piero Giacomelli.

Keeper Sepe conceded a free-kick for handling a backpass from defender Daniele Rugani that was ruled, harshly, to have been deliberate.

Vidal played the ball short for Tevez to strike into the roof of the net.

Manuel Pucciarelli was twice denied a second-half equaliser by Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Empoli's hopes of a point, though, were ended in stoppage time, as the industrious Tevez surged 30 yards to fire a shot that Sepe parried straight into the path of substitute Pereyra.

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