Roma forward Pablo Osvaldo netted a stunning goal but was later sent off in his side’s 3-1 win at Inter last night as Antonio Cassano scored for the first time since joining the hosts.
Champions Juventus thumped down-hearted Udinese 4-1 away after the hosts, still coming to terms with their failure to qualify for the Champions League, had goalkeeper Zeljko Brkic controversially sent off after 13 minutes.
Napoli beat Fiorentina 2-1 on a pitch which resembled a ploughed field and Cagliari drew 1-1 with Atalanta behind closed doors because their new venue for this season was not considered ready by local authorities.
The Is Arenas stadium outside Cagliari was only confirmed as the venue on Friday night after the home players protested at plans to stage the match in Trieste, around 1,000km away on the mainland.
Cagliari, who hosted several matches in Trieste last season, were not allowed any spectators with one half of the arena still under reconstruction.
Roma went ahead at the San Siro when Alessandro Florenzi, unmarked in the penalty area, met Francesco Totti’s cross with a looping header in the 15th minute.
Cassano levelled with a deflected shot in first-half stoppage time for Inter, who won their opening match 3-0 at Pescara.
It was the volatile striker’s first goal since his move from Milan in a swap with Giampaolo Pazzini, who scored a hat-trick for his new side in their 3-1 win at Bologna on Saturday.
Roma, who have four points, regained the lead with a stunning goal as Osvaldo was sent clear of the defence in the 67th minute and deftly flicked the ball over goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi. Marquinho added a third with nine minutes left.
Osvaldo, however, blotted his copybook with a second yellow card for a needless handball at the end.
Udinese goalkeeper Brkic was dismissed after clattering into Sebastian Giovinco as the former Parma striker rang on to a long Andrea Pirlo pass.
Arturo Vidal fired the penalty past new goalkeeper Daniele Padelli to set Juventus on the way to an easy win and Mirko Vucinic curled in the second before half-time.
Giovinco scored two in the second half to bury Udinese, who were beaten in their Champions League playoff by Braga to fall at the same stage for the second season running.
Juventus, unbeaten last season, have six points from two games along with Napoli and Lazio.
Second-half goals from Marek Hamsik and Blerim Dzemaili gave Napoli a 2-1 win over Fiorentina on a San Paulo pitch which was heavily sanded, full of ruts and divots and appeared to be nearly unplayable. Stevan Jovetic replied for the visitors.
Germany striker Miroslav Klose scored twice to guide Lazio to a 3-0 win over Palermo.
Serie A
Cagliari 1
Ekdal 90;
Atalanta 1
Denis 82;
HT: 0-0. Att: 10,000.
Red card: Peluso (A) 27.
Missed penalties: Larrivey (C) 21; Conti (C) 28.
Catania 3
Bergessio 66, 68; Lodi 84;
Genoa 2
Kucka 26; Jankovic 82;
HT: 0-1. Att: 15,000.
Inter 1
Cassano 46;
Roma 3
Florenzi 15; Osvaldo 67; Marquinho 81;
HT: 0-1. Att: 45,000.
Red card: Osvaldo (R) 90.
Lazio 3
Klose 39, 82; Candreva 56;
Palermo 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 31,000.
Napoli 2
Valero 55 og; Dzemaili 75;
Fiorentina 1
Jovetic 87;
HT: 0-0. Att: 40,000.
Parma 2
Belfodil 32; Rosi 86;
Chievo 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 14,000.
Sampdoria 2
Lopez 45; Gastaldello 68;
Siena 1
Vergassola 62;
HT: 1-0. Att: 41,000.
Red card: Felipe (Siena) 82.
Missed penalty: Calaio (Siena) 62.
Udinese 1
Lazzari 78;
Juventus 4
Vidal 14 pen; Vucinic 45; Giovinco 53, 71;
HT: 0-2. Att: 23,000.
Red card: Brkic (U) 13.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Juventus | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Napoli | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Lazio | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Sampdoria | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Roma | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Catania | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Torino | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Genoa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Inter | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Milan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Fiorentina | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Chievo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Parma | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Cagliari | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Udinese | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Bologna | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Palermo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Pescara | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Atalanta (-2) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 |
| Siena (-6) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -5 |
Next fixtures
Sunday, September 16: 15.00 Milan vs Atalanta; Chievo vs Lazio; Fiorentina vs Catania; Genoa vs Juventus; Inter vs Siena; Napoli vs Parma; Palermo vs Cagliari; Pescara vs Sampdoria; Roma vs Bologna; Siena vs Udinese; Torino vs Inter.
Prima Divisione A
Albinoleffe vs SudTirol - 1-1
Como vs San Marino - 3-1
Lecce vs Cremonese - 3-2
Pavia vs FeralpiSalo - 1-2
Reggiana vs Lumezzane - 2-1
Trapani vs Carpi - 0-1
Treviso vs Cuneo - 1-2
Tritium vs Entella - 2-3
Prima Divisione B
Avellino vs Prato - 1-1
Catanzaro vs Barletta - 4-3
Frosinone vs Carrarese - 1-0
Nocerina vs Andria - 2-2
Pisa vs Latina - 3-1
Sorrento vs Gubbio - 0-0
Viareggio vs Paganese - 2-1
Today
20.45 Perugia sv Benevento.