Roma coach Rudi Garcia succeeded where his three predecessors failed by taking his team to a 2-0 win over arch-rivals Lazio yesterday and maintaining their 100 per cent record in Serie A alongside Napoli who won 2-1 at Milan.
Mario Balotelli, who later scored Milan’s only goal, missed the first penalty of his career after Miguel Britos and Gonzalo Higuain scored early in each half for the visitors whose last away win in the fixture was 27 year ago.
Federico Balzaretti and Adem Ljajic, from a penalty, gave Roma their first derby win for two-and-a-half years, while Lazio’s misery was complete when substitute Andre Dias was sent off after only three minutes on the pitch.
Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente scored in a five-minute spell before half-time to give champions Juventus a 2-1 win over Verona and the Argentine saw another effort hit the post, roll along the line and hit the other upright before bouncing away.
Giuseppe Rossi, sidelined for nearly two years by successive knee ligament injuries, continued his impressive return by scoring his fourth goal of the season in Fiorentina’s 2-0 win at Atalanta after Matias Fernandez had put them ahead.
Diego Milito, making his first appearance after a seven-month injury lay-off, scored twice after coming on as a second-half substitute as Inter walloped Serie A newcomers Sassuolo 7-0 away.
Milito was one of four Argentines to score, alongside Rodrigo Palacio, Ricky Alvarez and Esteban Cambiasso, in Inter’s biggest Serie A win since 1966 when they beat Brescia by the same score. Saphir Taider and an own goal by Raffaele Pucino completed the rout.
Juventus, Fiorentina and Inter, all unbeaten, have 10 points from four games, two behind Roma and Napoli.
Injury-plagued Milan have only four points after starting the season poorly for the second time in a row. Last year, they eventually recovered to finish third with coach Massimiliano Allegri battling constant speculation over his future.
Roma, backed by US investors, splashed out €66 million on new signings in the close season, over three times more than Lazio whose fans again protested by entering the Stadio Olimpico after kick-off.
There was little to choose between the sides in the first half, with Gervinho heading wide for Roma in the closest effort.
Germany forward Miroslav Klose nearly put Lazio ahead early in the second half before Roma took control.
Balzaretti struck the post and, in the next move, fired Roma ahead when he met Francesco Totti’s chipped cross with an angled left-foot drive at the far post.
Roma captain Totti, starting his 22nd season at the club, was never far from the action and was denied a clear run on goal in the 81st minute when he was barged over by Dias, who was dismissed.
Serbia forward Ljajic made sure of the points for Roma when he won and converted a stoppage time penalty. Totti, the usual penalty taker, missed a chance to score his 10th derby goal as he had just been substituted to a standing ovation.
Injury-plagued Milan were quickly in trouble as Britos put Napoli ahead in the sixth minute and it got worse with Higuain, signed from Real Madrid in the close season, scored his third league goal for Napoli early in the second half.
Balotelli, who had converted the previous 21 penalties he has taken in official matches, saw his spot kick saved by Pepe Reina just after the hour.
He also hit the crossbar, had another penalty appeal turned down and saw a dipping shot turned over by Reina before curling in a consolation in stoppage time. Balotelli was sent off by the referee after earning a second booking for dissent at the final whistle.
Serie A
Atalanta 0
Fiorentina 2
Fernandez 42; Rossi 70;
HT: 0-1. Att: 15,000.
Bologna 1
Natali 29;
Torino 2
D’Ambrosio 2; Cerci 45 pen;
HT: 1-2. Att: 20,000.
Red card: Natali (B) 49.
Catania 0
Parma 0
Att: 14,000.
Juventus 2
Tevez 40; Llorente 45;
Verona 1
Cacciatore 37;
HT: 2-1. Att: 38,000.
Milan 1
Balotelli 90;
Napoli 2
Britos 6; Higuain 53;
HT: 0-1. Att: 51,384.
Missed penalty: Balotelli (M) 61.
Red card: Balotelli (M) 90+.
Roma 2
Balzaretti 63; Ljajic 90 pen;
Lazio 0
HT: 0-0. Att: 55,000.
Red card: Dias (L) 77.
Sassuolo 0
Inter 7
Palacio 7; Taider 23; Pucino 33 og; Alvarez 53; Milito 63, 82; Cambiasso 75;
HT: 0-3. Att: 22,001.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Napoli | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 12 |
| Roma | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 12 |
| Inter | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 10 |
| Fiorentina | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 10 |
| Juventus | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| Livorno | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Torino | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Lazio | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Verona | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Cagliari | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| Milan | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 4 |
| Udinese | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Genoa | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Chievo | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| Atalanta | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
| Bologna | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Sampdoria | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Parma | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
| Catania | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Sassuolo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
Top scorers
4 goals: Hamsik (Napoli), Rossi (Fiorentina).
3 goals: Vidal, Tevez (Juventus), Paulinho (Livorno), Callejon, Higuain (Napoli), Palacio (Inter), Cerci (Torino), Balotelli (Milan).
Next fixtures
Tomorrow: 20.45 Udinese vs Genoa.
Wednesday: 20.45 Bologna vs Milan; Chievo vs Juventus; Lazio vs Catania; Livorno vs Cagliari; Napoli vs Sassuolo; Parma vs Atalanta; Sampdoria vs Roma; Torino vs Verona.
Thursday: 20.45 Inter vs Fiorentina.
Prima Divisione ‘A’
Venezia vs Vicenza 2-1; Carrarese vs Reggiana 0-2; Pavia vs San Marino 0-1; Como vs SudTirol 3-2; Lumezzane vs V. Entella 1-1; Cremonese vs Savona 1-2; Pro Patria vs AlbinoLeffe 0-1; Pro Vercelli vs FeralpiSalo 2-2.
Leading standings: Pro Vercelli, Entella, AlbinoLeffe 10; Cremonese, Reggiana 7; Venezia, Savona, Como, Vicenza, San Marino 6.
Prima Divisione ‘B’
Ascoli vs L’Aquila 1-3; Frosinone vs Barletta 1-0; Prato vs Gubbio 0-0; Grosseto vs Perugia 2-0; Pisa vs Nocerina 5-2; Lecce vs Catanzaro 1-2; Salernitana vs Pontedera 1-2; Viareggio vs Paganese 0-1.
Leading standings: Pontedera, Pisa 10; Catanzaro 8; Benevento, L’Aquila, Frosinone 7; Prato 6; Grosseto 5.