Andrea Pirlo scored deep into stoppage-time as 10-man Juventus snatched a 2-1 win over Torino in a derby match on Sunday, while AS Roma kept pace with the league leaders with a 4-2 win over Inter.
“I followed the move, [Arturo] Vidal did well to see me and I shot out of desperation right at the end,” Pirlo said. “It’s wonderful to win a derby in the last second.”
Bruno Peres’ wonder goal had looked set to end the Bianconeri’s 24-match winning streak at Juventus Stadium in Turin, after he ran almost the entire length of the pitch before leveling with a delightful finish to cancel out Arturo Vidal’s penalty.
Photo: AFP
Rightback Stephan Lichtsteiner of Juve was sent off 12 minutes from time for two yellow cards.
Gervinho, Jose Holebas and Miralem Pjanic (two) scored for Roma, who were twice pegged back with goals from Andrea Ranocchia and former striker Pablo Osvaldo.
They were the first league goals Roma have conceded at home all season.
Earlier, Genoa moved provisionally into third place as they cruised to a 3-0 win at AC Cesena, while AC Milan earned a 2-0 victory at home to Udinese in a match which saw both teams reduced to 10 men.
Elsewhere, Mario Gomez broke his eight-month scoring drought to help ACF Fiorentina beat Cagliari 4-0, bottom club Parma moved further into trouble after losing 2-1 at US Citta di Palermo, while Empoli drew 0-0 against Atalanta BC.
Juventus were just one game away from a perfect November and matters seemed to be going according to plan when they took the lead in the 15th minute after Pirlo’s free-kick came off Omar El Kaddouri’s arm.
Vidal converted, but had to retake because of encroachment and the Chile international drove the ball into the opposite corner.
Torino had not scored in the Turin derby for 12 years and nine months, but they ended that record in fantastic fashion on 22nd minutes when Peres picked up the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and raced down the right flank, before unleashing a spectacular shot which went in off the inside of the far post.
Juventus snatched the win when Pirlo sent a long-range screamer into the bottom-left corner with practically the last kick of the game.
Roma knew they needed to win, but they were all square at the break after Ranocchia’s header wiped out Gervinho’s opener.
Holebas restored Roma’s lead with a solo effort less than two minutes after the restart, slaloming his way through defenders.
Osvaldo leveled against his former club and was loudly booed after raising his finger to his lips at the crowd, who used to idolize him.
However, Inter’s joy was short-lived as Pjanic scored three minutes later. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international then made sure of the win with a magnificent stoppage-time free-kick.
Inter coach Roberto Mancini was sent off for dissent in only his second match back at the club.
“You just have to look at the game, I’m not interested in saying anything else,” Mancini said. “It’s not as if I protested for nothing. We can’t do so many things in little time, we will try to do our best, we want to fight to qualify for the Champions League.”
In Milan, there was huge debate in the 17th minute as Rami’s header crashed off the upright and into the arms of Orestis Karnezis after appearing to have crossed the line.
The goal was not allowed and replays appeared to show the referee was right.
“From tomorrow I will start the battle to introduce technology,” AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani. “With technology you can immediately understand if it’s a goal or not. The human eye can make a mistake, so let’s buy these machines and use them.”
Milan took the lead amid more controversy when Maurizio Domizzi was harshly sent off for a challenge on Keisuke Honda shortly after the hour mark. Jeremy Menez tucked away the resulting penalty.
Milan were reduced to 10 men shortly afterward when Michael Essien received a second yellow card, but Menez then doubled his tally.
There was more good news for Milan as Riccardo Montolivo came off the bench for his first appearance since breaking his left leg in a pre-World Cup friendly with Italy six months ago.
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