Gianluigi Buffon, 38, is three minutes away from equaling a 22-year record after Juventus beat Sassuolo 1-0 to move provisionally six points clear at the top of Serie A Friday. Paulo Dybala scored the only goal of an entertaining match and Juventus kept a 10th successive clean sheet in the league. Buffon has not been beaten in Serie A in 926 minutes, now the second-longest stretch in league history. The unbeaten record in Serie A is held by Sebastiano Rossi, who kept a clean sheet for 929 consecutive minutes for AC Milan from Dec. 12, 1993, to Feb. 27, 1994, beating the previous mark set by former Juventus goalkeeper Dino Zoff in 1972-73 by 26 minutes. Buffon can match Rossi's record in next weekend's derby match at Torino. Palace in FA Cup semis Crystal Palace reached the FA Cup semifinals for the first time in 21 years as Yohan Cabaye's controversial penalty inspired a 2-0 win at second tier Reading Friday. Alan Pardew's Premier League struggler looked as though it would have to settle for a replay with just minutes left in the quarterfinal at the Madejski Stadium. But Yannick Bolasie won a debatable 86th minute penalty after tumbling following the slightest contact with Reading defender Jake Cooper, who was sent off for the foul. France midfielder Yohan Cabaye stepped up to convert the spotkick and Fraizer Campbell added Palace's second goal with virtually the last kick. The Eagles' late flourish takes them into the last four for the first time since 1995 when they were beaten by Manchester United in a replay. They last made the final in 1990 when Pardew, then a journeyman Palace midfielder, was the goal-scoring hero in a famous semifinal upset of Liverpool. Hertha closes in on CL Hertha Berlin closed in on a Champions League place with a comfortable 2-0 home win over disappointing Bundesliga rivals Schalke 04 Friday. Vedad Ibisevic and Niklas Stark scored in each half as third-placed Hertha, which made its only Champions League appearance in 1999-2000, opened up a four-point gap over Schalke which is fourth. Third place earns a berth in the Champions League group stage and fourth wins a slot in the playoff round. Malaga edges Sporting Malaga midfielder Juan Pablo Amor scored from outside the area to secure a 1-0 win over Sporting Gijon in the Spanish league Friday. Malaga's first victory in six rounds provisionally lifted it to eighth place. PSG could win title today Paris Saint-Germain is just one victory away from securing a fourth straight French title after second-place Monaco dropped points in a 2-2 home draw against Reims Friday. PSG can celebrate another title by winning away at last-place Troyes Sunday.
