Carlos Tevez scored two early goals for Juventus before the Serie A leaders squandered their lead to draw 2-2 at Hellas Verona on Sunday.
Luca Toni pulled one back for Verona, while Tevez’s compatriot Juanito Gomez grabbed the equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage-time after coming on as a late substitute.
Juventus, who failed to win for only the fourth time in 23 Serie A games this season, stayed nine points clear of AS Roma, who were held to a goalless draw by neighbors SS Lazio on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
Gervinho had a goal disallowed for Roma, while Stefano Mauri came on at halftime for Lazio to play his first match since completing a six-month ban for failing to report match-fixing in 2011.
Otherwise, there was little excitement in a disappointing derby with a surprising number of empty seats blighting the Stadio Olimpico.
Elsewhere in the league, troubled Inter produced their first win of the year when they beat lowly US Sassuolo 1-0 with a Walter Samuel header at the San Siro, putting them level in fifth place with Verona.
Brazilian midfielder Hernandes made his Inter debut and midfielder Fredy Guarin his first appearance since his transfer to Juventus fell through last month.
Also on Sunday, Catania and Parma played out a scoreless draw, Bologna beat Torino 2-1, and Genoa and UC Sampdoria both scored early in 1-0 wins to move further away from the relegation zone.
Tenth-placed Genoa — on 30 points — moved above Milan when Luca Antonelli’s early goal sank next-to-bottom AS Livorno.
Daniele Gastaldello’s 11th minute header was enough for former Serbia coach Sinisa Mihajlovic’s Sampdoria to overcome Cagliari, taking them up to twelfth.
Leaders Juventus are well on course to win a third successive Scudetto, sitting nine clear of Roma — who are in their first season under French coach Rudi Garcia — with 60 points. SSC Napoli are third with 47 after beating AC Milan on Saturday.
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