Juve see off Inter, Atalanta shock Napoli (AFP) Sunday 2 February 2014 Share Juve see off Inter, Atalanta shock Napoli © Getty Images Champions Juventus tightened their grip on the Serie A table on Sunday after outclassing Inter Milan 3-1 to claim deserved bragging rights from the Derby dItalia. Inter travelled to Turin hoping to at least replicate their 1-1 draw with Antonio Contes men in Milan during the opening half of the season. But Juve, who had scored 16 goals in their five previous league games, flew out the blocks and had created several early goalscoring chances before Stephan Lichsteiners diving header from Andrea Pirlos chipped ball gave the hosts a 15th minute lead. Juve piled on the pressure and only the safe hands of Samir Handanovic kept Inter from conceding more before the break. Juve doubled their lead only two minutes after the restart thanks to defender Giorgio Chiellini, with an alert Arturo Vidal giving Juve a 3-0 lead on 55 minutes after pouncing on Paul Pogbas rebound. Inters efforts in a late but faint fightback were rewarded in the 71st minute when Rolando beat Marco Storari in the Juve goal although it was scant consolation for what was a decidedly mediocre performance from Walter Mazzarris side. Juves 19th win of the campaign took their lead on Roma to nine points although the Giallorossis earlier encounter at home to Parma was rained off and has yet to be rescheduled. Napoli shocked at Atalanta Napoli are a distant third, 15 points adrift after a stunning 3-0 collapse at Atalanta, with Fiorentina a further three points off the pace. Inter have now taken only eight points from their last ten games and are sixth in the table, 26 points behind Juve and two behind Verona, who occupy the first UEFA Europa League qualifying place. Inter had dominated the weekend transfer headlines with the capture of Hernanes from Lazio. But neither the Brazilian international midfielder nor Colombian Fredy Guarin - the subject of a recently botched swap deal involving Juve striker Mirko Vucinic - were in Mazzarris starting line-up. Juve signed Dani Osvaldo from Southampton on Friday and are still waiting on him to reach full match fitness, but on this display he may have a challenge shifting either Carlos Tevez or Fernando Llorente. Earlier, Argentina striker German Denis punished Napoli with a brace in an impressive 3-0 home win for Atalanta. Elsewhere, Sergio Almiron scored a late equaliser for basement side Catania in a pulsating game as they fought back to level 3-3 with fellow strugglers Livorno. Antonio Candreva and Keita Balde scored one apiece for Lazio in a precious 2-0 win away to Chievo which leaves the Verona-based side hovering dangerously above the relegation zone. City rivals Verona, meanwhile, moved back up among the Europa League places to fifth after a 2-1 win away to relegation candidates Sassuolo.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 02:03:12 +0000
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