54' It's been mostly one-way traffic in favour of the visitors since the restart and the hosts are getting rather frustrated with some decisions going against them. Juve have a comfortable foothold in opposition territory as it stands.
52' Morata! Juve come close to benefiting from that stroke of fortune as their corner, though initially repelled, provides a second bite for the striker to head wide at the left post a moment later.
50' The hosts are furious now after Juve win a corner despite a Rabiot handball in the buildup missed by the officials. The referee is unmoved and the set-piece stands.
48' Chiesa executes some lovely footwork to set Juve hearts racing but his skills come to nothing on this occasion. Benevento will have to be sharp to weather the Bianconeri storm sure to come in this half.
46' We're back underway in this Serie A clash - but can Benevento keep to their comeback track or will Juventus pull ahead?
They grew slowly, but they surely grew and Filippo Inzaghi will be delighted with that response. Andrea Pirlo will be less impressed with his side's inability to button up their hosts however; he'll be demanding more after the break.
Gaetano Letizia's blinder on the stroke of half-time means it is all square as Juventus and Benevento head into the dressing rooms in Serie A. The right-back's peach of a finish cancelled out Alvaro Morata's clinical opener, in a deserved response for the hosts - and leaves this tie hanging neatly in the balance. At the break, it's Benevento 1-1 Juventus.
45' + 3' HALF-TIME: BENEVENTO 1-1 JUVENTUS
45' + 2' What a save from Szczensy! It's no slouch of a shot from Schiattarella either who, on the back of a corner, twists around two defenders and fires a low effort towards the right post. The keeper does well to tip it around.
45' After a prolonged buildup in which several Benevento players appeared to be jostling with the referee over their line placement, Dybala promptly skews the effort somewhere into the empty stand behind. There will be three extra minutes here.
43' The Bianconeri play it around their midfield now, and draw a promising free-kick for a foul on Dybala just outside the 18-yard area.
41' Indeed, Benevento are now clocking over 40 per cent of the ball in this match to date. They're definitely steadying their ship.
39' This has been an open match so far, an enjoyable encounter for the neutral. Benevento haven't been cowed, even since that opener; they feel like they are finding stronger footing the longer a second strike eludes Juve.
37' Juve would love a second goal here to steady the shop because Benevento are causing them a few headaches on the counter. The visitors now get caught offside as they attempt to craft their latest chance, much to their frustration.
35' Dybala goes flying in the Benevento box! The striker is convinced he's been pushed but the referee waves him away. The hosts promptly race away down the other end and Ionita steers a header just inches wide of the right post.
32' Montipo with the stop! The goalkeeper does a good job to block a rocket from Ramsey, managing to deflect the shot with his legs. The game comes to a pause shortly after, with Caldirola needing treatment ahead of a Juve corner.
30' Out of what feels like nothing, Benevento counter sharply and tear down the other end of the field, winning a corner for their troubles. Juve safely deal with the inswinging set-piece and clear their lines back to halfway.
28' Having favoured their right wing earlier, Juve are enjoying some space down the left edge now, spearheaded by Morata. They could find a second down that route.
26' Benevento think they have a penalty but there is nothing forthcoming from the officials after Lapadula falls in the Juve box, chasing a ball to the six-yard area. There might have been contact but not enough to sway the call.
25' Dybala! The striker plays a lovely one-two to take himself into the Benevento box and he skews his finish wide of the left post. He's disappointed with that one.
23' Despite their lower possession, Benevento haven't looked far off the mark defensively so far against a side of Juve's reputation, so that will be a bitter goal to swallow. How does Inzaghi get his side to respond here?
20' That being said, the hosts have only enjoyed around a third of possession so far. That could be costly.
18' Benevento have refused to let themselves get overwhelmed Juve's game management so far. In fact, it could be argue that the visitors' 4-4-2 formation isn't quite imposing itself the way it so often has.
16' Ramsey is released now into the 18-yard area by a lovely lob pass, but the Welshman can't quite keep hold of the ball before he can unleash that final pass.The referee then has to address some disagreements in midfield between both teams.
14' What a dive from Montipo! It's more a dangerous cross tipped towards Dybala, midway into the Benevento box, than an outright shot but that doesn't stop the keeper hurling himself forward to bat it away in style.
12' Following a pause for a minute's applause to celebrate the life of Maradona, Benevento swing the corner in. It beats everyone but the slightest of touches from a defending head means a second corner is turned in from the right side now, headed over by Glik.
10' A lazy trailing leg from a Juve defender hands Benevento a free-kick out on their left wing, deep into Bianconeri territory. Szczensy makes two saves; one to clear the initial set-piece and a second to punch Barba's shot out for a corner.
8' Better work from Benevento now, who make a solid move down their own right flank, with Letizia tipping a cross in that Improta gets a whisker away from. Szczensy deals and collects safely.
6' Juve, in that nearly all-white strip, are finding good purchase down the right wing in these early exchanges, drifting a few passes into the Benevento box that requires Caldirola to field and clear them.
4' An early Benevento free-kick is dropped low into the box, well below header level and the Bianconeri have no trouble working it back to midfield, earning a quickly-taken set-piece of their own.
2' Shouts from both side echo around the empty stadium as they exchange balls across midfield in these early minutes. On paper, this should be a proverbial slam-dunk for the visitors - but Pirlo knows not to write off his hosts today.
1' We are underway in this Serie A clash between Benevento and Juventus!
The teams are out ahead of kick-off. A minute of silence will be held prior for the late Diego Maradona.
It's been two-and-a-half years since these two sides last squared off in Benevento's only other previous stint in Serie A. In both games that term, Juventus ran out winners - and on the latter instance, notched a handy 4-2 victory at this ground in April 2018.
Subs: Alex Sandro, Weston McKennie, Leonardo Bonucci, Rodrigo Bentancur, Carlo Pinsoglio, Federico Bernardeschi, Radu Dragusin, Manolo Portanova, Giovanni Garofani, Dejan Kulusevski.
JUVENTUS (4-4-2): Wojciech Szczesny; Juan Cuadrado, Matthijs de Ligt, Gianluca Frabotta, Danilo; Federico Chiesa, Arthur, Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey, Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala.
Subs: Abdallah Basit, Andres Tello, Christian Maggio, Nicolo Manfredini, Alessandro Tuia, Roberto Insigne, Giuseppe Di Serio, Gabriele Moncini, Marco Sau, Davide Masella, Christian Pastina.
BENEVENTO (4-3-2-1): Lorenzo Montipo; Federico Barba, Luca Caldirola, Kamil Glik, Gaetano Letizia; Artur Ionița, Pasquale Schiattarella, Perparim Hetemaj; Gianluca Caprari, Riccardo Improta; Gianluca Lapadula.
Ronaldo's absence means that Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata will combine up front for the visitors - while the hosts have dropped Gianluca Lapadula into the spearhead of their attack over Gabriele Moncini.
Juve will still fancy their chances against Pirlo's former Milan teammate and fellow 2006 World Cup winner Filippo Inzaghi though. The ex-Rossoneri man guided Benevento to Serie A last term, but has seen his side win only one of their last five games.
But Andrea Pirlo will have to make do without a talismanic presence, after confirmation that the club would rest Cristiano Ronaldo for this tie. The Portuguese is not injured - but simply taking a game off after a busy month and a brace against Ferencvaros.
Fresh from their midweek triumph in the Champions League, the Bianconeri are back in domestic action with a trip from Turin to Campania, seeking another vital three points to keep the pressure on their fellow top four rivals Milan, Sassuolo, Roma and Inter.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2020-21 Serie A season as reigning champions Juventus look to keep up their charge for the summit with against a beleaguered Benevento at Stadio Ciro Vigorito.
