SSC Napoli’s Serie A troubles continued on Wednesday when they were jeered off the pitch at a half-empty Stadio Sao Paolo after a 3-3 draw with promoted US Citta di Palermo.
The match followed two successive 1-0 defeats for Rafael Benitez’s side and saw the home side squander 2-0 and 3-2 leads.
Leading pair Juventus and AS Roma had no such problems as they won to maintain their perfect records after four games.
Photo: AFP
Arturo Vidal scored twice to give reigning champions Juventus a 3-0 win over AC Cesena as they became the first team in Serie A history to complete their opening four matches without conceding a goal.
A spectacular late Miralem Pjanic free-kick gave Roma a 2-1 win at Parma after Adem Ljajic had put the visitors in front and Paolo de Ceglie had leveled for Parma.
Pablo Daniel Osvaldo scored with a scissors-kick to set Inter on the way to a 2-0 win over Atalanta BC, while unbeaten UC Sampdoria were 2-1 winners at home to AC Chievo Verona. Hellas Verona, who drew 2-2 with Genoa, also remained unbeaten.
Photo: EPA
Inter, Sampdoria and Hellas Verona all have eight points, four behind Juve and Roma. Napoli, who were expected to challenge for the title, have four.
Napoli coach Benitez, who has exasperated fans with his rotation of the team, this time left Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain on the bench.
It did not seem to matter as Kalidou Koulibaly and Duvan Zapata, with a pinpoint curling effort, put them 2-0 ahead after only 11 minutes.
Instead of stamping their authority on the game, Napoli allowed the visitors back into it and Palermo were level within 13 minutes.
Andrea Belotti headed one back for the Sicilians and Franco Vazquez turned in Michel Morganella’s pass as the San Paolo turned restless again.
Napoli regained their lead when Jose Callejon scored with an angled drive in first-half stoppage-time, but they failed to finish off the match and Belotti equalized just after the hour from Vazquez’s inviting low ball into the penalty area.
“I haven’t spoken to the president, but I don’t need to talk to him every five minutes to ask if my job is at risk or not at risk,” Benitez told reporters. “This team did well before and will do well again.”
Juventus had little trouble disposing of promoted Cesena after Vidal, seemingly fully recovered from a knee injury, converted a penalty after 18 minutes following a handball.
The Chilean was on target again with a long-range shot in the 64th minute and Stephan Lichtsteiner burst clear to fire the third with five minutes left.
Roma were on the point of dropping their first points of the season until Pjanic scored with a dipping free-kick with two minutes to go.
Osvaldo’s goal against Atalanta was even more spectacular as the former Southampton and Roma player met Fredy Guarin’s free-kick with a scissors-kick. Brazilian Hernanes added Inter’s second from a free-kick.
Juan Cuadrado and Borja Valero both hit the post as ACF Fiorentina, with striker Mario Gomez missing with a thigh strain, were held by US Sassuolo, while Torino rallied from a goal down to beat Cagliari 2-1.
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