Another great week in Italy as most outcomes coming as expected in Serie A. No team in the top five positions lost, but Roma were unable to take home the three points. Inter and AC Milan enjoy exquisite performances and are rewarded with a win. All of that here in this weeks recap.
Juventus 2-1 Atalanta
Atlanta drew blood first in the 25th minute as Giulio Migliaccio was first to meet the corner near the first post and was able to redirect the ball all the way over to the edge of the second post.
Just before the half, Leonardo Bonucci was able to get a header on target, but the keeper directed the ball straight back into traffic. The keeper tried his best to keep the ball out of the net with six players scrambling in front of him. Ultimatley, Fernando Llorente was able to poke the ball into the net to get Juventus level.
Andrea Pirlo would get Juventus ahead just seven minutes later. After finding some space to wind up a shot at least 30 yards out, he unleashed an absolute rocket that knuckled on its way into the upper-right corner. Thus proving, yet again, that age is just a number.
AC Milan 2-0 Cesena
Giacomo Bonaventura opened up the scoring in the 25 minute attacking defenders and taking a low shot that would prove too powerful for the keeper who allowed it to skip in behind him.
Milan were kept to one goal until very late in the match when Luca Antonelli was brought down in the box during a set piece. Giampaolo Pazzini stepped up to take the penalty. He was fortunate to score it as it was fairly centered and rolled just under the keepers belly.
None the less, Milan take the three points and move into ninth place.
Lazio 2-1 Palermo
Palermo opened up the scoring as Robin Quaison capitalized on a little mistake from Mauricio Nascimento and set up Paulo Dybala who took a well placed shot across the goal in the 26th minute.
Lazio fought their way back into the match in the 33rd minute with a great team goal. Two players played a 1-2 pass on the edge of the box to send a cross into Danilo Cataldi, who hit it back in front of goal for Stefano Mauri to poke it in.
Lazio found the winner in the 78th minute as Antonio Candreva showed some great skill to nutmeg one player at the edge of the box and cut another before smashing it into the far right corner of the net.
The win allows Lazio to remain in the top four in a run for European play.
Hellas Verona 1-1 Roma
Roma were again unable to take home the three points to close the gap on league leaders, Juventus, and allow their lead to rise to nine.
Francesco Totti was able to find the back of the net in the 26th minute with a great strike from almost 30 yards out. It took one skip of the floor before finding its way into the lower corner evading the keeper.
Verona did not allow Roma to keep the lead for long and found an equalizer just ten minutes later off a corner kick met by Bosko Jankovic and redirected by Seydou Keita.
Verona were able to hold off Roma’s attack and possession to take a point.
Cagliari 1-2 Inter
Inter finally seem to be catching some ground in the league as this win keeps them just three points behind fifth place.
Mateo Kovacic gave Inter the lead just after the beginning of the second starting the play by giving a lobbed back heel pass to Lukas Podolski who returned a lobbed ball into the box for Mauro Icardi to chest it down and Kovacic running in to smash home the ball from ten yards out.
Icardi got his goal to extend the lead in the 68th minute as Gary Medel slid him through a great ball before cutting one defender and curling a wonderful shot into the far post.
Inter’s, Juan Pablo Carrizo, was credited with Cagliari’s goal, but it was not so. Samuele Longo did well to chest a ball down in stride and fire a shot off the volley towards the near post. Carrizo got a hand to it, but was too powerful for him to push out.
Inter are now unbeaten in three games and seem to be gaining steam. This will be an important part of the season for Inter if they are to regain some of the glory they once had.
Other Results
Empoli 3-0 Chievo Verona
Parma -Postponed- Udinese
Fiorentina 1-1 Torina
Napoli 2-0 Sassuolo
Sampdoria 1-1 Genoa
Featured Photo: Antonio Calanni/Associated Press
