Juve start with a win
Milan, Aug. 31: Massimiliano Allegri silenced the doubters as champions Juventus beat Chievo 1- 0 in the former AC Milan coach’s first Serie A game in charge of the Old Lady of Turin.
Last season’s runners- up Roma also began with a victory as Rudi Garcia’s team beat Fiorentina 2- 0, with Radja Nainggolan and Gervinho grabbing the goals.
Juventus, who replaced three- time Scudetto winning coach Antonio Conte in the close season, outclassed Eugenio Corini’s men but could only manage a sixth minute Cristiano Biraghi owngoal.
New boss Allegri — an unpopular signing with many bianconeri fans — gave 18- year- old summer signing from Paris SaintGermain, Kingsley Coman, a surprising start as he partnered Carlos Tevez in attack. Pleasingly, the youngster took full advantage with a confident display in Verona.
Coman got in on the action, following some splendid control from a Paul Pogba long ball, he tested Bardi with a fizzing shot from the left, but the former Inter goalkeeper easily tipped the ball away for a corner.
It was from another corner that Juventus took the lead. Tevez floated the ball in from the left and a poorly positioned Bardi was stranded as Martin Caceres rocketed a header against the defender and into the net.
The home side did have one chance of note midway through the first half as Valter Birsa burst into the Bianconeri half on the left, his through- ball sending Ezequiel Schelotto in on goal, but the 25- yearold’s long range effort trickled wide of Gianluigi Buffon’s right- hand upright.
Later on, Roma broke the deadlock just before the half hour as Nainggolan picked up a loose ball in the midfield then drove towards the Fiorentina goal. He played a delightful through- ball for Gervinho.