Juventus back on top
Juventus hit back to beat 10-man Catania 3-1 in Turin last night and move back to the top of Serie A ahead of Milan’s trip to Cesena today. Pablo Barrientos gave the Sicilians, who had Marco Motta dismissed in the second half, a shock early lead but...
Juventus hit back to beat 10-man Catania 3-1 in Turin last night and move back to the top of Serie A ahead of Milan’s trip to Cesena today.
Pablo Barrientos gave the Sicilians, who had Marco Motta dismissed in the second half, a shock early lead but goals from Andrea Pirlo, Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Quagliarella secured the three points.
Juve now lead Milan by two points having played the same number of games.
The win ended a run a two straight 0-0 draws for Antonio Conte’s men.
The first half was an action-filled and entertaining affair starting with an early header from Juve’s Claudio Marchisio that went just over.
Catania then gave their hosts two warning signs as Mariano Izco broke from deep only to shoot straight at Gianluigi Buffon before Sergio Almiron gave the veteran shot-stopper great problems with a swerving long-distance effort.
Juve didn’t heed the warnings, though, and on four minutes Barrientos turned Pirlo with effortless ease before curling a delightful left-footer around Buffon from 20 yards.
Juve came firing back but Marco Borriello’s downward header was easy for Tomas Kosicky in the visiting goal.
The equaliser came on 22 minutes as Pirlo curled a free-kick around a badly-placed wall to leave Kosicky motionless on his line.
Quagliarella hit a rocket from distance that crashed back off the bar.
At the other end Gonzalo Bergessio played a one-two with Francesco Lodi and crash his own shot off the woodwork from a tight angle.
Kosicky saved a daisy-cutter from Pirlo with Quagliarella shooting the rebound into the side-netting.
And the former Italy forward hit the side-netting again after Borriello teed him up in the box with a cushioned header.
Juve kept on pushing at the start of the second period with strikers Borriello and Quagliarella seeing shots blocked while Pirlo whipped a free-kick from distance just over the crossbar.
The game turned when Motta, playing against his former employers, stupidly picked up a second yellow card for a senseless foul near the halfway line 25 minutes from time.
Catania almost went ahead on the counter-attack but Buffon blocked Almiron’s fierce low drive.
Then 14 minutes from time, Kosicky failed to gather Pirlo’s free-kick from the right and Chiellini headed home, although he appeared to be leaning on Bergessio.
Kosicky paid for another error nine minutes from time as his scuffed clearance fell to Pirlo who played in Quagliarella to beat the goalkeeper.
Somewhat comically, reserve goalkeeper Marco Storari managed to draw blood from both Quagliarella and Simone Pepe with his over-zealous celebrations.
Serie A
Played yesterday
Juventus 3
Pirlo 22; Chiellini 74; Quagliarella 81;
Catania 1
Barrientos 4;
HT: 1-1. Att: 36,270.
Red card: Motta (C) 65.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 23 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 36 | 14 | 49 |
| Milan | 23 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 45 | 20 | 47 |
| Lazio | 23 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 24 | 42 |
| Udinese | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 22 | 41 |
| Napoli | 24 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 41 | 24 | 37 |
| Inter | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 34 | 33 | 36 |
| Roma | 23 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 27 | 35 |
| Palermo | 23 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 33 | 34 | 31 |
| Cagliari | 23 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 24 | 30 |
| Genoa | 23 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 31 | 43 | 30 |
| Fiorentina | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 22 | 28 |
| Parma | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 27 | 34 | 28 |
| Atalanta (-6) | 23 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 26 | 27 | 27 |
| Catania | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 28 | 32 | 27 |
| Chievo | 23 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 30 | 27 |
| Bologna | 22 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 26 | 25 |
| Siena | 22 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 22 | 23 |
| Lecce | 23 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 22 | 38 | 18 |
| Cesena | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 34 | 16 |
| Novara | 23 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 42 | 16 |
Playing today – 15.00
Genoa vs Chievo
Cesena vs Milan
Lecce vs Siena - 12.30
Novara vs Atalanta
Palermo vs Lazio - 20.45
Roma vs Parma
Udinese vs Cagliari - 20.45
Top scorers
17 goals: Di Natale (Udinese).
15 goals: Ibrahimovic (Milan), Cavani (Napoli).
12 goals: Denis (Atalanta), Palacio (Genoa), Jovetic (Fiorentina), Milito (Inter), Klose (Lazio).
Next fixtures
Tuesday: 18.30 Bologna vs Fio-rentina.
Wednesday: 18.30 Siena vs Catania.
Saturday: 18.00 Genoa vs Parma. 20.45 Milan vs Juventus.
Sunday: 15.00 Atalanta vs Roma; Cagliari vs Lecce; Catania vs Novara; Chievo vs Cesena; Siena vs Palermo. 20.45 Bologna vs Udinese; Lazio vs Fiorentina; Napoli vs Inter.
Serie B
AlbinoLeffe 1 - Pescara 1
Ascoli 0 - Grosseto 2
Brescia 0 - Modena 0
Juve Stabia 2 - Reggina 1
Livorno 1 - Bari 2
Nocerina 0 - Cittadella 1
Padova 1 - Empoli 1
Sassuolo 0 - Varese 0
Verona 1 - Gubbio 0
Vicenza 1 - Crotone 1
Playing tomorrow – 20.45
Torino vs Sampdoria
Standings
Sassuolo, Verona 54; Torino 53; Pescara 52; Padova 46; Varese 45; Reggina, Brescia, Bari 39; Samp-doria, Cittadella, Grosseto 37; Juve Stabia 36; Livorno 30; Vicenza 29; Crotone 28; Modena 25; Empoli, AlbinoLeffe 24; Gubbio 23; Ascoli 22; Nocerina 18.