Veteran forward Alessandro Del Piero won and converted a last-minute penalty to earn Juventus a 1-1 draw with Catania in Sicily on Saturday.
The result in their first match following the three-week winter break was enough to move Juve up to second, for 24 hours at least, but the loss of two points has severely hit their fading title aspirations. Juve are still seven points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
Del Piero was tripped in the box by Marco Biagianti before sending goalkeeper Ciro Polito the wrong way from the penalty spot to earn the visitors a point they never looked likely to secure, despite dominating possession and territory.
PHOTO: REUTERS
"I think we deserved this result, we created a lot of chances and were pushing forward," Del Piero said.
Juve had the first clear chance of the game on 11 minutes but center-back Nicola Legrottaglie headed a Del Piero corner over the bar.
The visitors were then made to pay on the quarter-hour mark as Gionathan Spinesi brilliantly flicked home a cross from Giuseppe Mascara at the near post after narrowly beating the offside trap.
Catania had another good chance on 28 minutes but Legrottaglie bravely threw himself in front of Biagianti's dipping volley, that appeared to hit him full in the face.
Del Piero went close with a spectacular bicycle kick from substitute Marco Marchionni's cross but his effort flew over the bar on 56 minutes.
Del Piero should have scored on 64 minutes but somehow directed a header from 8m wide of the post.
Earlier in the day, Reggina missed the chance to move out of the relegation zone after failing to hold onto a lead at fellow strugglers Empoli in a 1-1 draw.
Reggina stay second from bottom with Empoli moving two points and two places clear of the drop zone.
Empoli gifted the visitors the lead on just two minutes when Simone Missiroli robbed goalkeeper Daniele Balli and Fabio Ceravolo pounced on the loose ball to roll it into an empty net.
But the hosts were back on level terms just three minutes later after Bruno Cirillo brought down Antonio Busce in the box and Luca Saudati converted from the spot.
Saudati could have won it for his side on the quarter-hour mark after he was brought down but Andrea Campagnolo saved his penalty.
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