Piling on the pressure
Juventus down Roma to stay a point behind leaders Napoli
MILAN: Champions Juventus kept pace with Serie A leaders Napoli after a hard-fought 1-0 win over title-rivals AS Roma with Inter Milan suffering a second consecutive defeat.
Moroccan Medhi Benatia scored the only goal against his former club after 18 minutes in Turin as Juventus remain one point behind leaders Napoli – who have 45 from 18 games – with Inter Milan five points adrift in third after losing 1-0 at Sassuolo, and Roma in fourth.
It was the first time that Roma have trailed this season away but Eusebio Di Francesco’s side could not find a way back, despite almost equalising in injury time when Patrik Schick hit the crossbar.
Juventus also had chances to increase their advantage with Gonzalo Higuain wasteful and Miralem Pjanic’s stoppage time effort cleared by Alisson by the tips of his fingers.
for there coach “Roma Di the and Francesco, Massimiliano Scudetto. and so are Napoli Lazio,” whose Inter Allegri. are said are Roma candidates Juventus still side up sit six seven off Juventus, points behind said: Napoli “The team and could have done a lot better, maybe we were a bit inhibited, against a team like Juventus you can’t afford to make mistakes.”
Earlier, Napoli came from behind to chalk up a 3-2 win over Sampdoria.
Napoli were trailing twice in the first half with Gaston Ramirez firing in a free-kick after just two minutes to catch Pepe Reina off guard.
But Allan equalised after a quarter of an hour only for Fabio Quagliarella to convert a penalty to restore Sampdoria’s lead after 27 minutes.
Lorenzo Insigne marked his comeback from injury with a volley on 33 minutes following a Dries Mertens flicked cross.
But it was captain Marek Hamsik who sealed the victory six minutes before the break, again off a Mertens cross, and Napoli held on despite Mario Rui’s sending off. Despite their remarkable start to the season, Inter have taken just a single point from their last three matches, with back-to-back losses to Udinese and Sassuolo.
Diego Falcinelli headed in the only goal after 34 minutes with goalkeeper Andrea Consigli saving a penalty from leading Serie A scorer Mauro Icardi.
Luciano Spalletti’s side are third but just two points ahead of Roma, who have played a game less. Lazio, also with a game in hand, are two points off Roma after easing past Crotone 4-0.