League leaders Juventus twice fought back from two goals down to earn a thrilling 3-3 draw at Napoli last night and stretch their unbeaten start in Serie A to 12 games.

The Old Lady of Turin also opened up a two-point lead over second-placed Milan having battled back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits.

Napoli blew the chance to reignite their title chances and the point leaves them down in sixth and nine points behind Juve.

Goals from Marek Hamsik and a Goran Pandev brace looked to have given Napoli victory but the visitors hit back through Alessandro Matri, Marcelo Estigarribia and Simone Pepe.

There was early drama when the hosts were awarded a penalty on 15 minutes after Andrea Pirlo’s challenge on Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Hamsik stepped up to take the spot-kick and coolly slotted home, only for the referee to order it to be retaken for encroachment.

At the second time of asking, the Slovakia midfielder blazed his effort over the bar.

Napoli did not have to wait long to take the lead and did so courtesy of Hamsik on 23 minutes.

Lavezzi swung a free-kick into the box and Leonardo Bonucci’s attempted headed clearance was weak, giving Hamsik a simple headed finish from six yards.

Pandev doubled Napoli’s lead five minutes from the break when the ball fell kindly to the Macedonian forward who finished off with his weaker foot.

Juve earned a lifeline three minutes into the second period as Matri converted Arturo Vidal’s pass.

Juve failed to build on that momentum and Pandev seemed to have killed the game midway through the half when he turned and shot home in off the post.

However, just four minutes later Napoli’s defence went walkabout again and Estigarribia was left unmarked at the back post to slot under Morgan De Sanctis.

On 79 minutes, Napoli’s defence inexplicably backed off, allowing Pepe to run from the halfway line, play a lucky one-two off a home defender and finish precisely.