ROME (AP) — Juventus’ stranglehold on the Serie A title for six straight seasons looks at risk of being broken. The Bianconeri were beaten by Lazio for the second time this season on Saturday, falling 2-1 at home after conceding
ROME (AP) — Juventus’ stranglehold on the Serie A title for six straight seasons looks at risk of being broken.
The Bianconeri were beaten by Lazio for the second time this season on Saturday, falling 2-1 at home after conceding two goals to Ciro Immobile just like in the Italian Super Cup in August.
It’s the second straight match that Juventus has dropped points after drawing with Atalanta 2-2 before the international break.
“We need to work on our lapses in concentration,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “We fought but only in segments. At other times we were too loose.”
League leader Napoli won at Roma 1-0 with a first-half goal from Lorenzo Insigne to open up a five-point advantage over Inter Milan, Juventus and Lazio.
Inter faces AC Milan in the Milan derby on Sunday.
“The lads should enjoy this achievement,” said Lazio coach Simone Inzaghi, who is being mentioned as an eventual replacement if Allegri leaves Juventus. “At the start of the season they said we would finish ninth or 10th. Now people should be talking about us.”
LAZIO COMEBACK
Juventus led 1-0 at halftime courtesy of a rebound goal from Douglas Costa but experienced defenders Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli couldn’t contain Immobile after the break.
Substitute Paulo Dybala came close to rescuing Juventus but was denied first by the post in stoppage time then had a penalty blocked by Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha at the final whistle.
Immobile had no such trouble.
Two minutes into the second half, Luis Alberto set up Immobile to finish a counterattack with a confident, low, angled shot.
Five minutes later, Immobile was at it again in a virtual replay, only this time goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon charged forward and tripped the striker to set up a penalty.
Immobile drilled his spot kick to the right corner as Buffon went the other way.
“This gives us more motivation,” Immobile said. “Lazio has been doing great things since the Super Cup.”
Immobile leads the Serie A scoring chart with 11 in eight matches and also has the best tally in Europe’s top five leagues with 15 in all competitions for Lazio.
Immobile also scored in Italy’s 1-0 win over Israel last month and national coach Gian Piero Ventura will be hoping he stays in form for a World Cup qualifying playoff next month.
Juventus, meanwhile, will have to take a long look at its once-vaunted defense after relinquishing a lead for the second straight game.
The Turin club had been undefeated for 57 home matches in all competitions.
DE ROSSI DEBACLE
An involuntary assist from Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi set up Napoli’s goal.
Midway through the first half, De Rossi accidentally set up Insigne with only the goalkeeper to beat and the diminutive Italy forward took advantage to score his 100th career goal.
Kostas Manolas, Roma’s top defender, exited with an apparent injury early in the second half and Napoli goalkeeper preserved the clean sheet by blocking a header from Federico Fazio.
It was the first league match this season in which Napoli didn’t score at least three goals.
Still, the Partenopei remain on course for their first title since 1990, when Diego Maradona played.
Napoli visits Manchester in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Roma visits Chelsea a day later and Juventus hosts Sporting Lisbon.
———
More AP Serie A coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/SerieA
———
Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampf
