Saturday saw both last year's champions and runners-up of the Serie A in action and they both served up a great night of football. Juventus showed their winning mentality in a narrow win against Lazio, while Napoli and Milan were part of a brilliantly entertaining match at the Stadio San Paolo.
We round up the action below:
Khedira nudges Juve past Lazio (Lazio 0 – Juventus 1)
Miralem Pjanic was still not fit enough to start, as players in Juve’s new look midfield were still trying to figure out their roles in the beginning of the match. Lazio were trying to take the initiative in a high-intensity start. Felipe Anderson seemed sharp and buzzed around trying to create an opening, but in vain.
Ciro Immobile, Lazio’s new signing in the attacking department looked energetic but was often left isolated. The game was just beginning to look destined for a 0-0 draw, but Paulo Dybala’s lofted ball found Sami Khedira running into space and the German sent an angled drive past Federico Marchetti to open the scoring.
Lazio’s attempts of getting back into the match went in vain as Juve’s immense defense held firm. Bartolomeu Jacinto (better known as Bastos), Lazio’s new defensive signing had a great game, denying Gonzalo Higuain any space to work his magic after the Argentine striker came on.
Gigi Buffon kept out a Parolo hit from distance with ease, and Juventus held on for 3 valuable points.
Napoli power past spirited but erratic Milan (Napoli 4 – Milan 2)
Napoli powered past Italian giants AC Milan in a stunning encounter at the San Paolo that saw 6 goals and 2 red cards.
Milan raced out of the blocks and looked sharp and incisive in their passing, but Napoli’s new center forward Arkadiusz Milik bundled home in the 18th minute after some excellent work by Dries Mertens. Napoli took control of the game thereon, adding to their lead in the 33rd minute when Milik found himself on the scoresheet again, this time turning in a corner with a splendidly placed header.
That looked to have sapped the life out of Milan, but instead they came out buzzing for the second half. In a stunning 5 minute spell, Mbaye Niang first got a goal back after a fantastic run and left-footed finish and Suso then gorgeously curled a strike into the top left corner of Napoli’s goal.
The home crowd seemed stunned into submission and Milan even threatened to take the lead in this humdinger of a match, with another 30+ minutes of football left to play.
There was even more drama to follow. Jose Callejon would follow up (much to the frustration of Gigi Donnarumma who was excellent throughout the match) to a parried Mertens shot to put Napoli back in the lead.
Milan still looked like they could get back in the game, but would capitulate in remarkable finish towards the end of the match. Juraj Kucka was first sent off, getting a second yellow card for arguing with the referee and Mbaye Niang would also get a red card a few minutes later for a petulant pull on Napoli keeper Pepe Reina.
It would be an undignified end to a match in which they had competed for large spells in, and Alessio Romagnoli’s hilarious/brave attempts to stop Napoli’s fourth goal went in vain, and only narrowly saved him from getting sent off as well.
Inter Milan 1-1 Palermo: The visitors hold Inter at the San Siro
Inter started off their match in a positive mood, and the signings of Joao Mario and Gabriel Barbosa were looming over the buildup even if they weren’t available for this game. Their fans were quick to remind them to concentrate on the pitch though, and also point out that the team had no excuses now to not get results.
The Nerazzurri took a while to get going but ended the first half in positive fashion. Ever Banega was pulling the strings in midfield, and his vision led to several chances that his side were guilty of wasting. Mauro Icardi should have done better when he had the goal in his sight, and Miranda should have hit the target with a free header off a corner but he sent it narrowly wide.
It would be Palermo who would open the scoring in the 48th minute though, with Banega guilty of losing the ball in midfield and Andrea Rispoli’s heavily deflected shot sailed into the net.
It took a while for Inter to get level, and it was substitute Antonio Candreva’s pinpoint cross that would find their captain Mauro Icardi who would head the ball in to make it 1-1.
Inter looked for a winner, but clear-cut chances were few and far between. Candreva would put a shot just over the bar after some good work by Geoffrey Kondogbia down the flank and the match would end in a draw.
Cagliari 2-2 AS Roma: Cagliari come back from two goals down to catch Roma
Diego Perotti calmly sent Cagliari goalkeeper Marco Storari the wrong way with his penalty to open the scoring in the first half but Cagliari had chances of their own to get back in the game. Roma went into half time 1-0 up though and came back out with a purpose.
Mohamed Salah sent in a lovely ball to Edin Dzeko, who cushioned it into the path of an onrushing Kevin Strootman who smashed the ball in off the crossbar. It was his first goal in 934 days, the most part of which he had spent injured.
Former Roma player Marco Boriello was there to bury a Marco Sau rebound in the 56th minute after some sloppy defending from the Giallorossi to make it 2-1 and the home crowd began to find their voices again.
Cagliari’s pressure would pay dividends in the 88th minute when Marco Sau sent the home crowd into raptures. A gorgeous Mauricio Isla cross got a deft touch by Sau and evaded the Roma defence to make it 2-2. Roma’s manager Luciano Spalletti, would certainly not enjoy that, and you’ll find vines of his reaction all over the internet.
Other results
Torino 5-1 Bologna
Fiorentina 1-0 Chievo Verona
Sampdoria 2-1 Atlanta
Crotone 1-3 Genoa
Udinese 2-0 Empoli
Sassuolo 2-1 Pescara [RESULT CHANGED TO : Sassuolo 0-3 Pescara – Due to Sassuolo fielding an ineligible player, but the club have appealed]
