Luca Antonini scored deep into stoppage-time as Genoa spoiled Gianluigi Buffon’s 500th appearance for Juventus with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, yesterday.
The 36-year-old goalkeeper was wearing a special armband to commemorate the milestone but was largely untroubled until Antonini bundled home at the death to hand the home side a dramatic victory and end Juve’s unbeaten start to the Serie A season.
Angelo Ogbonna hit the post for Juve in the second half and substitute Alvaro Morata had two good late chances but the champions never hit full stride and were punished as Roma’s win against Cesena saw their advantage at the summit disappear.
The Giallorossi joined Juventus on 22 points after beating Cesena 2-0 to remain perfect at the Stadio Olimpico.
Mattia Destro’s ninth-minute goal put the hosts on their way before Daniele De Rossi made it 2-0 nine minutes from time.
The Romans went into the game with just one win in their previous five games in all competitions.
Roma coach Rudi Garcia rested goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis and captain Francesco Totti in view of Saturday’s match at Napoli.
The hosts started strongly and went ahead when Destro tapped a pass from Gervinho past Cesena goalkeeper Federico Agliardi.
Roma finally extended their lead after a period of sustained pressure late on.
Substitute Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa nodded a corner towards the six-yard box and an unmarked De Rossi smashed the ball into the back of the net.
The defeat for Cesena has kept them winless on the road and dropped them to the relegation zone in 18th place.
Napoli, who beat Verona 6-2 on Sunday with a Gonzalo Higuain hat-trick, drew 1-1 at Atalanta after the Argentina forward scored a late equaliser, but then missed a stoppage-time penalty.
Inter chalked up a 1-0 win courtesy of a controversial penalty for the second game in a row, this time against previously unbeaten Samp-doria, as Mauro Icardi converted in the 90th minute amid angry protests from his opponents.
Cagliari and Milan shared the spoils from a 1-1 draw at Stadio Sant’Elia, although Zdenek Zeman’s Sardinians will probably feel they could have got more out of the game.
Victor Ibarbo gave the hosts the lead, but Giacomo Bonventura levelled before half-time. Daniele Conti hit the post in the second half as Cagliari came closer to finding a winner.
The point lifts Cagliari three clear of the Serie A relegation zone while edging Milan up to third, still six points adrift of the joint league leaders Juventus and Roma.
Even against high-flying Milan, Cagliari remained faithful to their attacking style of play, causing the Rossoneri problems early on with Adil Rami making a desperate lunge to keep Ibarbo’s shot out.
The Colombian was looking particularly inspired and he sent his next shot over the crossbar before scoring at the third attempt midway through the first half.
Marco Sau sent the ball in from the left and Ibarbo beat Christian Abbiati to the ball to head Cagliari in front.
Ibarbo then returned the favour for Sau, but Abbiati denied the Cagliari forward to keep his side in the game.
It was a vital stop, especially considering how Bonaventura brought Milan level within minutes with what could have been a cross, but ended up in the top corner of Alessio Cragno’s goal.
Serie A
Atalanta 1
Denis 57;
Napoli 1
Higuain 86;
HT: 0-0. Att: 10,000.
Red card: Cigarini (A) 83.
Missed penalty: Higuain (N) 90.
Cagliari 1
Ibarbo 24;
Milan 1
Bonaventura 35;
HT: 1-1. Att: 16,000.
Fiorentina 3
Babacar 44, 70; Valero 81;
Udinese 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 27,000.
Genoa 1
Antonini 90;
Juventus 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 30,500.
Inter 1
Icardi 90 pen;
Sampdoria 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 35,000.
Palermo 1
Rigoni 81;
Chievo 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 22,617.
Roma 2
Destro 9; De Rossi 81;
Cesena 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 34,004.
Torino 1
Darmian 10;
Parma 0
HT: 1-0. Att: 12,648.
Played Tuesday
Sassuolo 3
Missiroli 56; Floccari 61; Berardi 73;
Empoli 1
Croce 18;
HT: 0-1. Att: 10,500.
Missed penalty: Berardi (S) 59.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Roma | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 22 |
| Juventus | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 4 | 22 |
| Milan | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 12 | 16 |
| Sampdoria | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 16 |
| Udinese | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 16 |
| Lazio | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 8 | 15 |
| Napoli | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 12 | 15 |
| Inter | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 15 |
| Genoa | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 15 |
| Fiorentina | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 13 |
| Torino | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 11 |
| Verona | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 11 |
| Sassuolo | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 15 | 10 |
| Cagliari | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 9 |
| Palermo | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 17 | 9 |
| Atalanta | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| Empoli | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 16 | 7 |
| Cesena | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 6 |
| Chievo | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 4 |
| Parma | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 21 | 3 |
Playing today
Verona vs Lazio - 20.45
Top scorers
7 goals: Callejon (Napoli).
6 goals: Honda (Milan), Tevez (Juventus).
5 goals: Djordjevic (Lazio), Cassano (Parma), Di Natale (Udinese), Icardi (Inter).
Next fixtures
Saturday: 15.00 Napoli vs Roma. 18.00 Empoli vs Juve. 20.45 Parma vs Inter.
Sunday: 15.00 Chievo vs Sassuolo; Sampdoria vs Fiorentina; Torino vs Atalanta; Udinese vs Genoa. 20.45 Milan vs Palermo.
Monday: 19.00 Cesena vs Verona. 21.00 Lazio vs Cagliari.