Inter showed encouraging signs in new signing Lukas Podolski’s debut as they battled to draw champions Juventus 1-1 on Tuesday, handing AS Roma a welcome Serie A title boost in the process.
Earlier in the day, Roma had Davide Astori’s controversial first-half goal to thank for a 1-0 win away to Udinese that put Rudi Garcia’s men a point behind leaders Juve, who had to settle for share of the spoils in Turin after Mauro Icardi struck in the second half to cancel out Carlos Tevez’s fifth-minute opener.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri lamented his side’s second-half performance and admitted that Roma would remain a threat throughout the campaign.
“I think the first half was one of our best performances of the season,” Allegri told Sky Sports. “It’s not the first time Roma have been only a point behind us, so winning was important, but there are still a lot of points to collect. Roma will be pushing us all the way.”
Juve started their first official game of the year looking to make amends for their Supercoppa Italiana defeat to SSC Napoli last month and made a blistering start, with Tevez bundling Arturo Vidal’s ball past Samir Handanovic to take his league-leading tally to 11.
Podolski made his debut for the Nerazzurri 10 minutes after the restart, replacing Zdravko Kuzmanovic, and his arrival sparked an Inter revival.
The Milan-based club levelled on 64 minutes as Icardi was somehow allowed to collect Fredy Guarin’s long ball from midfield and then held off Leanardo Bonucci to slip the ball under the onrushing Gianluigi Buffon.
It was the Argentine’s fifth goal in four league games against Juventus.
The hosts twice came close to restoring their advantage, first through Andrea Pirlo’s swerving free-kick and then through Paul Pogba’s header, which trickled wide.
Icardi then narrowly missed the target after sliding in to meet Podolski’s drive across the face of goal and forced Buffon to block his well-struck drive.
Mateo Kovacic saw red in the final minutes for a studs-up challenge on Stephan Lichsteiner, but Juve failed to capitalize, as Inter held on for a precious point that moved Roberto Mancini’s men up one place to 11th.
Mancini said he was “not satisfied,” but that Inter would claw back their eight-point deficit to third place and UEFA Champions League qualification.
“Juve dominated us all too easily in the first half before we finally got back into our stride and even created chances to score our second goal,” Mancini told Sky. “There are still 20 games left and I think we can claw back our eight-point deficit.”
In Udine, Roma coach Rudi Garcia defended Astori’s goal after the defender’s header from Francesco Totti’s free-kick came off the underside of Orestis Karnezis’s crossbar and bounced over the goalline.
The goal appeared to have been ruled out, but following Roma’s protests was validated by the referee.
Garcia admitted that the use of goal-line technology would “end any doubts,” but added: “At the end of the day the match referee is the one who decides; he was quite well-placed to see the ball go over.”
However, Udinese coach Andrea Stramaccioni hit out: “My biggest complaint is about the goal-line referees. It’s got nothing to do with the score. Roma won and we accept the scoreline, but if the goalline officials, who are put there to rule on borderline goals, are simply ignored by the referee then what is the point of them being there?”
Elsewhere in Serie A, Gonzalo Higuain struck his eighth and ninth goals of the campaign in a 4-1 win for Napoli over AC Cesena to leave Rafael Benitez’s men level on points with SS Lazio in the third and final Champions League qualifying spot.
AC Milan’s European ambitions stalled after a shock 2-1 home defeat to US Sassuolo left Filippo Inzaghi’s men seventh, but five points behind Lazio and Napoli.
Gianfranco Zola’s Serie A coaching debut with former club Cagliari ended in a 5-0 rout at US Citta di Palermo, whose sixth win of the campaign put them eighth.
Tuesday’s remaining games all ended in draws, with AC Chievo Verona playing out a goalless tie with Torino, as did Empoli and Hellas Verona, while Genoa and Atalanta BC drew 2-2.
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