Inter on Sunday shocked champions Juventus 2-0 to move level on points with Serie A leaders AC Milan, boosting their hopes of a first title since 2009-2010.
Arturo Vidal got his head to a Nicolo Barella cross in the 12th minute for his first league goal for Inter against his former club.
Barella added the second seven minutes after halftime as Inter claimed a first victory over Juventus since September 2016, ending a series of seven matches without a win.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“It was a bad defeat, we didn’t expect it, we couldn’t have put in a worse performance than this,” Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo said after his second league defeat of the season. “Our attitude was wrong, right from the start. We were too passive, fearful, we only thought about the defensive phase.”
Inter were equal on 40 points with Milan, who were due to play Cagliari yesterday, with Juventus seven points behind in fifth.
“To win against a team like Juve you have to touch perfection,” Inter coach Antonio Conte said after his first win in four meetings against the club he led to the first three of their nine consecutive titles. “I’m happy for the lads because these are games that give you self-esteem and make you understand that we’re on the right path. I’ve seen a credible Inter, and it is the greatest satisfaction after a year and a half of work.”
Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have broken through for the away side after 11 minutes, but Federico Chiesa was ruled offside in the buildup.
Vidal made no mistake for last season’s runners-up two minutes later off Barella’s perfect cross.
“We’ve shown that we’re up to fighting for the scudetto,” said Vidal, who won four league titles with Juventus.
A superb Alessandro Bastoni through-ball to Barella paid off in the 52nd minute, with the pacy Italy midfielder shaking off Gianluca Frabotta and Giorgio Chiellini to blast home his side’s second.
In Naples, Lorenzo Insigne scored twice and set up another as SSC Napoli thumped ACF Fiorentina 6-0 to move third ahead of AS Roma.
Insigne got the first goal in the fifth minute at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium as Gennaro Gattuso’s side went four goals up inside the first half.
Fiorentina missed chances to equalize, with Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina denying Franck Ribery, before Diego Demme, Hirving Lozano and Piotr Zielinski notched three goals for the hosts in the final nine minutes before halftime.
Napoli were awarded a penalty after Gaetano Castrovilli fouled Tiemoue Bakayoko and Insigne converted from the spot for his ninth goal of the season.
Substitute Matteo Politano completed the rout.
“It looked easy, but it wasn’t,” Gattuso said.
Atalanta BC missed the chance to move third, dropping points before next week’s trip to AC Milan with a goalless draw against lowly Genoa.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side had won their first three matches of the year with a total of 12 goals scored.
Hans Hateboer rattled the post for Atalanta after 65 minutes, the best chance for the hosts who are sixth, eight points behind Milan. Genoa are 16th, two points above the relegation zone.
Elsewhere, bottom side Crotone thrashed Benevento 4-1 and US Sassuolo were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Parma.
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