Juventus Beat Roma to Go Top of Serie A
TURIN (Dispatches) - Reigning champions Juventus seized their opportunity to edge two points clear of Inter Milan in the Serie A title race with victory over Roma.
Maurizio Sarri’s side struck twice in the opening 10 minutes, as Merih Demiral met Paulo Dybala’s free-kick before Dybala then earned a penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo duly converted.
Roma responded in the second half through Diego Perotti’s spot-kick.
Antonio Conte’s Inter were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Atalanta on Saturday.
Meanwhile, third-placed Lazio recorded a 10th consecutive Serie A win against Napoli to sit six points behind Juventus with a game in hand.
Ronaldo’s ninth goal in seven games appeared to have put Juventus in firm control in a first half overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to 20-year-old Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, following a challenge by Matthijs de Ligt.
But Paulo Fonseca’s hosts produced a reaction after the interval, striker Edin Dzeko hitting the post moments before a video assistant referee review found Sandro to have handled amid a goalmouth scramble.
With the Stadio Olimpico roaring Roma on, Juve’s Gonzalo Higuain had a goal disallowed for offside while Aleksandar Kolarov missed an excellent headed opportunity to equalise.
Juve held on despite late pressure to record
Maurizio Sarri’s side struck twice in the opening 10 minutes, as Merih Demiral met Paulo Dybala’s free-kick before Dybala then earned a penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo duly converted.
Roma responded in the second half through Diego Perotti’s spot-kick.
Antonio Conte’s Inter were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Atalanta on Saturday.
Meanwhile, third-placed Lazio recorded a 10th consecutive Serie A win against Napoli to sit six points behind Juventus with a game in hand.
Ronaldo’s ninth goal in seven games appeared to have put Juventus in firm control in a first half overshadowed by a serious-looking injury to 20-year-old Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, following a challenge by Matthijs de Ligt.
But Paulo Fonseca’s hosts produced a reaction after the interval, striker Edin Dzeko hitting the post moments before a video assistant referee review found Sandro to have handled amid a goalmouth scramble.
With the Stadio Olimpico roaring Roma on, Juve’s Gonzalo Higuain had a goal disallowed for offside while Aleksandar Kolarov missed an excellent headed opportunity to equalise.
Juve held on despite late pressure to record