Roma go clear as Napoli held by Sassuolo
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E-mail Xinhua, September 26, 2013
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Gervinho'c clincher sealed a 2-0 win for leaders Roma at Sampdoria. |
Roma beat Sampdoria 2-0 to take sole lead of the Serie A table with a perfect record after Napoli were surprisingly held at home to Sassuolo on Wednesday.
Medhi Benatia opened the scoring at the 65th minute for the visitors from Rome before Gervinho wrapped up the win two minutes from time.
The hosts ended the game with ten men when Antonino Barilla earned two late yellow cards to compound the Blucerchiati's woes.
Roma assured themselves of their best-ever start to a season with fifth successive win, and their head coach Rudi Garcia has a more ambitious goal.
"Are we in the history books? It's important to make history at the end of the season, not so much now," he said.
Napoli suffered a shock draw at home as they were held 1-1 by visitors Sassuolo who lost to Inter 7-0 in last round.
Blerim Dzemaili gave Rafael Benitez's side the lead after 14 minutes, but Simone Zaza equaliZed six minutes later, meaning Napoli's 100 per cent record was ended by a newly promoted team that had failed to pick up a single point before their trip to the Stadio San Paolo.
Napoli head coach Rafa Benitez said he was not shocked by the draw as the visitors played well.
"When you start out, it is always a draw. At the end of the day we took a point each, but we can't win before we start," Benitez said.
"We played on the same level as the other performances, but if you play every three days and face a side that lost 7-0, you risk underestimating the challenge. We met a team that was organised and knew what to do, proving the 7-0 to Inter was an aberration rather than a true reflection of Sassuolo," he said.
AC Milan plundered two goals at the death in Bologna to rescue a 3-3 draw and deny their hosts a first win of the season.
The Rossoneri were forced to use a second-string strike pairing in the absence of suspended striker Mario Balotelli and his replacement Alessandro Matri was particularly wasteful in front of Bologna goalkeeper Gianluca Curci.
Andrea Poli's early opener came against the run of play but Diego Laxalt soon hit his first goals in Italian football to give Bologna the half-time lead.
Jonathan Cristaldo then headed home a third to steer the Rossoblu towards a likely victory but a late double salvo from Robinho and Ignazio Abate spoiled the party at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.
AC Milan head coach Massimiliano Allegri insisted his side could be in a better position before the Christmas though they only garnered five points from as many Serie A games.
"Before Christmas we will be in another position. At the moment things aren't going terribly well and we dropped points along the way, but we have everything it takes to get back on track," he said.
Champions Juventus took advantage of the fact Inter and Fiorentina meet each other on Thursday to move up to third in the table with a 2-1 win at Chievo.
Cyril Thereau put Giuseppe Sannino's side in front after 28 minutes, but Fabio Quagliarella equalized immediately after the break before Alessandro Bernardini put through his own net in the 65th minute to hand Juve the win.
Lazio edged up to sixth thanks to a 3-1 home win over 10-man Catania.
Ederson gave the Rome club a perfect start inside four minutes, only to see Pablo Barrientos equalise shortly before the half-hour mark.
Senad Lulic gave the hosts the advantage once more six minutes before the break, and Catania's job was made harder when Giuseppe Bellusci was dismissed for a second bookable offence on the hour.
And substitute Hernanes rounded off the scoring in the final minute to condemn Catania to their fourth defeat in five outings this term.
Elsewhere, Parma were involved in a high-scoring affair as they ran out 4-3 winners at home to Atalanta. Torino moved up to eighth after a 2-2 home draw with Hellas Verona.
Meanwhile, Cagliari's winless streak was extended to four games with a 1-1 draw at seventh placed Livorno.
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