Turin (AFP)
Roma put a brake on the perfect start of their host Juventus, led by their new coach Thiago Motta, by holding them to a goalless draw in the top match of the third round of the Italian Football League.
Juventus started the new season under coach Motta, 42, who came from Bologna to succeed Massimiliano Allegri, with two wins over Como and Hellas Verona, both with the same score of 3-0, and with six goals without conceding, winning the admiration of critics in his quest to return to the top of Italian football.
Unlike the start of the “Old Lady” team, Roma’s results under their coach, former midfielder Daniele De Rossi, were not up to expectations, after a goalless draw against Cagliari in the opening match, and a 1-2 loss against Empoli, but the draw against Juventus gave their coach some satisfaction before the international break.
“This draw is a good starting point, it’s a shame that the momentum has stopped because of the departure of our international players,” De Rossi regretted.
Juventus failed to regain the lead in the league, only raising its score to 7 points, on goal difference from the “title holder” Inter, who beat Atalanta 4-0, and its neighbor Torino and Udinese, who beat newcomer Como with a goal by Brazilian Brenner “43” in third and fourth place respectively, while Roma’s score froze at two points in seventeenth place.
Juventus captain Federico Gatti admitted the draw was “not a good result, the new players still need to find themselves and we need to perfect what we do in training in the match.”
Roma did not delay in threatening their hosts’ goal, after a cross from Spanish defender Angelino reached Lorenzo Pellegrini, who shot a powerful ball that passed next to goalkeeper Michele De Gregorio’s left post “13”, and returned the ball three minutes later through their young striker Matthias Sole with a ball that passed over the goal.
The Old Lady team waited three minutes before the end of regular time in the first half to actually threaten the capital club’s goal, after a joint play between the Belgian Samuel Mbangula and the Colombian Juan Cabal on the left side, with the latter passing a cross into the area to the Serbian Dusan Vlahovic, who shot with his left foot the ball that was blocked by the Serbian goalkeeper Mile Svilar “42”.
Vlahovic started the second half as he ended the first, and threatened the Wolves’ goal after his team recovered the ball from the middle of the field, but his shot went wide of the goal “48”.
The two coaches made several changes, most notably the entry of Argentine Paulo Dybala, who decided to stay with Roma, despite a tempting offer from Saudi Arabia (61), and from Juventus’ side, Vlahovic left and newcomer Argentine striker Nicolas Gonzalez entered (83).
In the last chances, Angelino wasted after a pass from Dybala “89”, and Juventus responded through the Turkish Kenan Yildiz.
Verona, fifth with 6 points, beat host Genoa with two goals by Belgian Gascon Tchachoa (55) and Danish Kasper Tingstedt (64 from a penalty kick).
Fiorentina came from two goals down to draw 2-2 against Monza.
Monza took the lead through Bosnian Milan Djuric ’18’ and Daniel Maldini, son of defensive legend Paolo ’32’, before Fiorentina came back with goals from Moise Kean ’45’ and newcomer German Robin Gosens ’96’.
Fiorentina, who are still looking for their first win of the season, are in 11th place with three points from three draws, while Monza, who have also not won, are in 15th place with two points.
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