Juventus' winning start to the Serie A season ended as they were held to a 1-1 draw at minnows Sassuolo allowing AS Roma, who beat Chievo Verona 3-0, to move within a point of the lead.
After six straight wins, the Turin team found it hard going against a determined and energetic Sassuolo who took the lead in the 13th minute.
Italy and former Juve striker Simone Zaza grabbed the opener, firing home a first time, left-foot drive, after the ball had ricocheted around the area.
The lead lasted just six minutes though as Carlos Tevez did well to keep the ball in play and feed Paul Pogba, the France midfielder equalising with a beautiful curling shot from the edge of the area.
Juve went close twice just before the break with Sassuolo keeper Andrea Consigli pulling off a fine double-save to keep out efforts from Pogba and Tevez.
It was a combative but, for Juve, scrappy second half and in the end coach Massimiliano Allegri had to be content with a point from the visit to his former club.
Roma bounced back from their controversial 3-2 defeat by Juve with a convincing display for their sixth win in seven games and the tone was set with an early goal from Mattia Destro.
He got in front of his marker to meet a Miralem Pjanic corner with a fine angled diving header to open the scoring in the fourth minute.
Roma, who host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday, dominated the early stages and it was no surprise when they doubled their advantage in the 25th minute when Serbian Adem Ljajic latched on to a fine ball from Francesco Totti, cut in from the right and confidently drove home.
The games was over as a contest in the 33rd minute when Dario Dainelli pulled down Daniele De Rossi in the area and Totti smashed home the penalty.
With an eye on the clash with Bayern at the Olimpico, coach Rudi Garcia took Totti off on the hour and not surprisingly Roma took their foot of the gas in the final half hour.
The Verona side showed very little ambition although they should have pulled one back in the 68th minute when Gennaro Sardi was left unmarked in the box but headed wide from a great position.
Juventus have 19 points from seven games while Roma are on 18 points. Inter Milan host Napoli on Sunday while Fiorentina face Lazio in the pick of the games.