Inter Milan keep perfect record, first win for Juventus
ByReuters
Updated 20/09/2015 at 20:54 GMT
Inter Milan made it four wins out of four Serie A games as they beat Chievo on Sunday, while titleholders Juventus won for the first time by overcoming Genoa and Francesco Totti scored his 300th competitive goal for AS Roma.
Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi celebrates
Image credit: Reuters
Mauro Icardi's first-half goal at Chievo, the Argentine's first of the season, gave Inter a 1-0 win and left Roberto Mancini's Inter as the only team with 12 points from their opening four games.
An unlucky own goal by goalkeeper Eugenio Lamanna and a Paul Pogba penalty got Juventus off the mark at 10-man Genoa after they had failed to win in their opening three games.
Totti, in his 24th season at his only professional club and one week short of his 39th birthday, helped AS Roma to draw 2-2 with Sassuolo as they twice came from behind to maintain their unbeaten record.
In the day's evening game, Napoli made a real statement of intent as they crushed Lazio 5-0 at San Paolo.
Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring after 14 minutes and then Allan made it 2-0 ten minutes before half-time, but it was Lorenzo Insigne - who scored himself soon after the break - who dominated the match with his incisive attacking play.
Higuain then get his second goal of the game on the hour-mark, before Manolo Gabbiadini rounded off the rout 10 minutes from time.
In other games, Fabio Quagliarella scored twice to give Torino a 2-0 win over Sampdoria, leaving them second with 10 points, and Serie A debutants Frosinone slumped to their fourth straight defeat as they went down 1-0 at Bologna.
Chievo created more chances in the first half against Inter in a midday match played in hot sunshine in Verona but the home team were made to pay for hesitant defending which allowed Icardi to score out of the blue just before halftime.
"The main thing is we managed to get the win at a tough place like the Bentegodi, struggling and battling away against an in-form Chievo side who defend brilliantly," said Mancini.
"I'm happy with the way the lads played because it was very hot and Chievo kept everyone behind the ball. It wasn't easy."
Juventus enjoyed a huge slice of fortune at Genoa when Pogba volleyed against the underside of the crossbar from Roberto Pereyra's cross but the ball hit Lamanna on the chest and bounced into the goal.
Juve's task was made much easier after Genoa had Armando Izzo sent off one minute before halftime and Pogba's penalty, harshly awarded for a foul by Diogo Figueiras on Giorgo Chiellini, polished off the game with half an hour to play.
Roma were stunned by Gregoire Defrel's solo goal after 22 minutes at the Stadio Olimpico before Totti, left out of the team against Barcelona on Wednesday, sprang into action.
Sassuolo goalkeeper Andrea Consigli sent an attempted clearance straight to Miralem Pjanic who found Totti and he rolled the ball into the net.
Matteo Politano put the visitors back in front on the stroke of halftime and a brilliant Mohamed Salah volley early in the second half rescued a point for Roma, leaving the two teams joint third with eight points.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Fiorentina beat Carpi 1-0 thanks to Khouma Babacar's first half goal.
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