Paul Pogba showed why the top European teams are interested in him as he orchestrated a 2-0 win for Juventus against AC Chievo Verona, sending the defending champions seven points clear at the top of the Serie A table on Sunday as AS Roma drew 1-1 at ACF Fiorentina.
Pogba scored a stunning opener on the hour mark and was instrumental in his team’s second, netted by Stephan Lichtsteiner.
“Paul scored an extraordinary goal and pulled the ball down brilliantly for the second,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “He is an intelligent, calm and level-headed lad, who always wants to improve... The club has to decide [whether to sell him], but it’s not a problem to consider right now. It is difficult to replace world-class players, but football goes on.”
Photo: AFP
Former Fiorentina forward Adem Ljajic canceled out Mario Gomez’s strike as Roma drew their third successive league match.
“We had a great second half, there was a good reaction,” Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. “I saw an ambitious team which is capable of scoring. With this spirit we will win many matches. We’ll continue on our path without looking at the others. We have to be more clinical for the entire 90 minutes.”
Meanwhile, there will be further debate about goal-line technology after US Citta di Palermo had a goal ruled out in a 1-1 draw at UC Sampdoria, with the home side’s new signing Samuel Eto’o in attendance.
Photo: Reuters
A stoppage-time goal gave Torino a 1-0 win at Inter, their first since 1988, while a late Alejandro Rodriguez strike also saw AC Cesena beat Parma 2-1 in a relegation battle between the bottom two sides.
Hellas Verona beat Atalanta BC 1-0, with Javier Saviola scoring his first Serie A goal.
Juventus struggled to break down Chievo, although Giorgio Chiellini nodded just over from a couple of corners and had another header from a corner deflected over the bar by goalkeeper Albano Bizzarri.
It took a moment of magic to break the deadlock as Pogba skipped past two Chievo players, before unleashing a powerful long-range strike into the bottom corner for his fourth goal in as many games.
Pogba almost claimed the second, too, when he brought down a cross with his foot, before hitting it on the volley, forcing a great save from Bizzarri, only for Lichsteiner to slot in the rebound.
Roma knew they could not afford another slip after draws against SS Lazio and Palermo, but Mario Gomez redirected David Pizarro’s long-range strike for his third goal in two matches after scoring twice in the Coppa Italia last week.
Roma looked a different side after the break and leveled after four minutes. Juan Iturbe did well to bring down Francesco Totti’s long ball and hold off the defenders, before squaring for Ljajic, who did not celebrate his goal.
There was further bad news for Roma as Kevin Strootman went off as a precaution after taking a knock to the knee he had surgery on back in March last year.
In Genoa, all eyes were on the stands, where club president Massimo Ferrero sat with a smiling Eto’o and fellow new signing Luis Muriel, with all three wearing Sampdoria scarves.
Eto’o underwent a successful medical at the weekend and Everton said they expected the deal to be finalized within 24 hours.
Samp got off to the perfect start when Eder ran on to Roberto Soriano’s through-ball to give his side the lead in the sixth minute.
The home side should have increased their advantage before Palermo leveled at the start of the second half when Franco Vazquez smashed in Edgar Barreto’s pass.
Palermo were denied a winner when Michel Morganella’s effort crashed off the underside of the crossbar, before bouncing off the ground and out. Replays showed the ball had crossed the line, but the referee ignored Palermo’s protests.
Sampdoria moved level on points with third-placed Lazio, a point clear of SSC Napoli, who were due to host Genoa yesterday.
At the San Siro, Emiliano Moretti scored in the dying seconds as Inter fell to their first defeat in six matches.
Maxi Lopez headed a corner across to Moretti, who nodded in from point-blank range in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.
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