Italians draw series of blanks in Seria A

16 October 2011 17:35

Only one of 12 teams managed to find the net on an incredible day of turgid Serie A football in Italy that was notable only for a lack of goals, action and interest.

Bologna were the only side to score ahead of the evening Rome derby between Lazio and Roma, with five other matches ending in goalless stalemates that ensured no-one is yet to take the title race by the scruff of the neck.

No team has won more than half of their six matches so far, leaving Juventus ahead of Udinese on goals scored at the top.

Juve were held at Chievo while Udinese finished with 10 men as they failed to overcome Atalanta.

The only positive result came at Novara where Bologna earned their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory to move off the bottom.

Gaston Ramirez opened the scoring four minutes into first half injury time with a fine strike and Robert Acquafresca added the second on the counter-attack midway through the second period.

However, that wasn't enough to drag Bologna out of the bottom three as they remain behind Inter Milan on goal difference.

Juve had a lucky escape in the first half when Cyril Thereau robbed Andrea Pirlo, who flopped to the ground, on the halfway line and galloped towards goal, only for the referee to halt his progress by blowing for a foul that television replays did not support.

In the second half substitute Alessandro Del Piero rose unmarked to head against the Chievo post.

He was also in the thick of the action at the other end when he hacked clear an effort from Sergio Pellissier that was trickling towards the line.

Cagliari moved up to third after their draw with Lecce while Cesena went bottom following their stalemate against Fiorentina.

On Saturday Inter's crisis deepened as they lost for the fourth time in their six league games this season in a 2-1 reverse at Catania.

It was also their sixth defeat in nine matches in all competitions, including August's Italian Supercup.

Esteban Cambiasso gave them an early lead but Catania hit back in the second period through Sergio Almiron and a Francesco Lodi penalty.

AC Milan, however, got back to winning ways as they thumped Palermo 3-0 at the San Siro.

Antonio Nocerino opened the scoring with his first goal for the club before Robinho and Antonio Cassano added second half efforts.

Napoli failed to keep pace at the top as they fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at home to Parma, dropping them to fourth.

Goals from Massimo Gobbi and Francesco Modesto either side of Giuseppe Mascara's effort for the hosts gave Parma their surprise win.

Source: AFP