Juve back on top with 3-1 away win in Genoa

16 September 2012 17:17

Two late goals from Mirko Vucinic and Kwadwo Asamoah sent Serie A champions Juventus back to the top of the table thanks to a 3-1 win away to Genoa on Sunday.

A double strike from Brazilian midfielder Hernanes and a second half effort from Miroslva Klose was enough to send Lazio top on goals difference thanks to a 3-1 away victory away to Chievo in the day's early match.

But three days before meeting Chelsea in the Champions League Juve showed poise and determination to remain unbeaten in 42 matches.

Genoa seemed intent on capitalising in a dominant first half which they ended one goal up thanks to a 17th minute strike from Ciro Immobile.

But a double Juve substitution just before the hour mark breathed life back into the visitors' hopes, with Vucinic coming on for Alessandro Matri and Asamoah replacing Paolo De Ceglie.

Genoa seemed ready to grab a second goal with Marco Borriello slamming his header against the bar just before the hour mark. Gianluigi Buffon then did well to save Andrea Bertolacci's strike.

But Juventus pulled level moments later when midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini shaped a great shot past French keeper Sebastien Frey from 25 metres.

The match then turned in the 76th minute when Juve were awarded a penalty after Bertolacci fouled Asamoah in the box. Frey dived the right way, but could not stop Vucinic's shot from the spot.

Asamoah virtually put the match beyond reach for Genoa when he pounced to slam the ball past Frey after Vucinic's pass came off Genoa's Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist.

Prior to Sunday, only four teams had managed to win their first two games of the season and the same four maintained their 100 percent records.

In a highly entertaining match Sampdoria gave the other half of Genoa some cheer with a 3-2 win away to struggling newcomers Pescara.

Napoli, meanwhile, continued their promising start with a 3-1 home win over Parma.

Uruguayan international Edinson Cavani opened the scoring for the Partenopei in the third minute and fellow striker Goran Pandev made it two six minutes before the interval.

Parma pulled one back on the stroke of half-time through Marco Parolo, only for Lorenzo Insigne, who has recently made his debut for Italy, to make it 3-1 in the 77th minute.

While Lazio are celebrating, their cross-town rivals Roma were left scratching their heads after a 3-2 reverse to Bologna at the Olympic Stadium.

Roma had a 2-0 lead at half-time thanks to a headed goal from Alessandro Florenzi and a left-foot strike from Argentinian Erik Lamela.

But the Giallorossi were stunned late in the second half. On-loan Genoa striker Gilardino pulled one back on 72 minutes and the visitors levelled through playmaker Alessandro Diamani a minute later.

Gilardino then grabbed a shock winner on 90 minutes to leave Zdenek Zeman's fancied side in sixth with only four points from three games.

Elsewhere Siena drew 2-2 at home to Udinese and Fiorentina moved up to fifth place with a 2-0 win which came courtesy of goals from Stevan Jovetic and former striker Luca Toni, who made his debut after recently re-signing for La Viola.

Sunday's late match is Torino v Inter.

Source: AFP