Locatelli goal gives Juve derby victory
MILAN: Manuel Locatelli’s 86th-minute goal grabbed Juventus a hard-fought 1-0 derby victory at Torino on Saturday as Massimiliano Allegri’s men made it three straight Serie A wins, while Edin Dzeko came off the bench to inspire Inter Milan past Sassuolo.
Visitors Juve were poor for the majority of the match but improved late on and Locatelli netted for the second time in as many league games to continue Juve’s recent resurgence.
Back-to-back victories in Serie A had got their season up and running after a nightmare start before a 1-0 Champions League win over holders Chelsea in midweek.
Italy international Locatelli fired a shot in off the post with four minutes remaining.
“The coach expects a lot from me and I am trying to do everything to improve,” Locatelli, a boyhood Juve fan, told DAZN. “It was tough today, Fede [Federico Chiesa] saw me and gave a great assist, it was a good goal.”
Allegri will also be delighted by a first league clean sheet of the campaign as his team moved up to eighth in the table on 11 points.
He was brought back as coach to help regain the title Juve lost to Inter last term and those hopes have been revived by the strong recent run.
But the Turin giants do remain seven points behind early pace-setters Napoli, who were visit Fiorentina last night (Thai time).
Dzeko scored and claimed the match-winning penalty as Inter fought back to down Sassuolo 2-1.
The reigning champions are now only one point behind Napoli and have moved a point clear of city rivals AC Milan into second place.
Domenico Berardi gave home side Sassuolo the lead from the penalty spot midway through the first half as Inter faced the prospect of slipping seven points behind Napoli this weekend.
But the game changed when Inter boss Simone Inzaghi made a quadruple change in the 57th minute, including bringing on Dzeko.
The Bosnian striker netted just a minute later, meeting Ivan Perisic’s cross with a diving header at the back post.
That goal took the veteran level with Ciro Immobile at the top of the league’s scoring charts on six, but he was not done there.
Dzeko got in behind and was adjudged to have been fouled by Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli, with Lautaro Martinez sending Consigli the wrong way from the spot to put Inter ahead with 12 minutes remaining.
Earlier, promoted Salernitana got their first Serie A win for 22 years as a 1-0 victory over Genoa took them off the foot of the table.