Serie A Results: Analysis for Genoa vs Napoli, and All the Weekend's Matches

BR-UK StaffSep 28, 2013

Genoa and Napoli kicked off the Serie A weekend on Saturday in a match that saw the visitors catapult to the top of the table, at least for the time being.

Another match is set for Saturday, with seven more on the schedule Sunday. In the following pages, we take a look at all of the weekend's results.

Statistics via WhoScored.com.

Click here for the full Serie A table.

————Updated for Sunday matches

Roma 5-0 Bologna

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AS Roma moved to the top of Serie A as the last remaining side with a 100 percent record following a thumping 5-0 hammering of Bologna.

The game was all but over as a contest inside the opening half an hour, as the home side raced into a three-goal lead after strikes from Alessandro Florenzi, Gervinho and Mehdi Benatia.

Gervinho scored his second after an hour and Adem Ljajic wrapped up the win five minutes from time, leaving Roma two points clear at the top ahead of Napoli and Juventus. They have conceded just once in six matches, scoring 17 times already.

Bologna meanwhile are in the bottom three, without a win all season and with the second-worst defensive record in the league.

Torino 0-1 Juventus

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Juventus moved up to second place in Serie A with a Turin derby victory in their away match against Torino.

Paul Pogba was the match-winner with his strike early in the second half, heading home from close range after a corner kick.

Both sides were a little sloppy in possession at times, but Juve never looked in danger of conceding the lead once they were in front and, indeed, Torino failed to register a single shot on target all game.

They sit in 10th place after their second defeat of the season, with Juventus level on points with Napoli at the top.

Atalanta 2-0 Udinese

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Veteran Argentine striker German Denis was the hero for Atalanta as he hit a brace at home to Udinese to help claim a 2-0 win.

The result brings an end to a run of three successive defeats for Atalanta, who move away from the bottom three with their second win of the campaign.

Denis scored on the stroke of halftime, and again just after the hour mark, to send Udinese home without a point after their third away defeat in three matches.

The Udine side are 12th in Serie A, with Atalanta up to one place behind.

Cagliari 1-1 Inter Milan

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Inter Milan were denied the chance to keep pace with the early leaders of Serie A, after a late equaliser meant they only drew at Cagliari.

The away team dominated possession and chances and looked the better side on the ball, but it took them until 15 minutes from time to finally make the breakthrough, with Mauro Icardi beating Michael Agazzi to score his second goal of the season off the bench.

Even with such a short time left, Inter couldn't hold on and Belgian midfielder Radja Nainggolan scored the equaliser with seven minutes to play.

While Inter remain unbeaten and are fourth in the table, Cagliari have now drawn their last four league games and sit in 11th place despite having lost just once this season.

Catania and Hellas Verona Win, Sassuolo-Lazio Draw

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Catania beat Chievo 2-0 with Jaroslav Plasil and Lucas Castro on the scoresheet. It was the home side's first win of the season and lifted them off the foot of Serie A, with Chievo now having lost four of their last five games.

Hellas Verona won 2-1 at home to Livorno thanks to another Jorginho penalty, with that winning goal scored a quarter of an hour from time. Prior to that, Juan Manuel Iturbe and Leandro Rinaudo had traded strikes in the five minutes before the break. Verona move up to seventh in the table, one place ahead of Livorno.

Bottom of the table Sassuolo picked up another surprise draw with a 2-2 result against Lazio, despite falling 2-0 behind within 10 minutes of the start of the second half. Andre Dias and Antonio Candreva scored within five minutes of each other, but Ezequiel Schelotto and Antonio Floro Flores hit back to ensure their side followed up the draw with Napoli with another positive result. Sassuolo remain 20th, with Lazio up to sixth.

Genoa 0-2 Napoli

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Napoli moved top of the table, at least temporarily, with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Genoa on Saturday. Goran Pandez scored both goals in the first half as Napoli remained undefeated, winning for the fifth time in six matches this season.

Genoa came into the match more in the second half, with Alberto Gilardino's header scraping the woodwork, but Napoli were able to bounce back from a surprising 1-1 midweek draw at home to Sassuolo.

Pandev opened the scoring in the 14th minute, seizing on Jurai Kucka's misplaced pass and shooting past Mattia Perin from the edge of the box. He doubled Napoli's lead 11 minutes later, combining cleverly with Lorenzo Insigne before finishing with a low shot at the far post.

Napoli have 16 points through six matches. Roma, who entered the weekend top of the table, host Bologna on Sunday.

Genoa are 15th with four points.

Shots: 10-11

On target: 2-3

Passing: 80%-20%

Possession: 52%-48%

AC Milan 1-0 Sampdoria

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Playing without suspended striker Mario Balotelli, AC Milan defeated Sampdoria 1-0 on Saturday in a match billed a must-win by manager Massimiliano Allegri.

Milan created the better chances in the first half but lacked the spark to break down Sampdoria. They found it quickly in the second half as Valter Birsa fired in from Robinho's pass in the 46th minute for the winner.

Robinho came close moments later but directed his shot at keeper Junior Da Costa. Sampdoria registered 14 shots, but only one hit the target.

Milan entered the weekend in 12th place, having won just once in their opening five league matches. Adding to the Rossoneri's problems was Balotelli's three-match suspension for a post-match tantrum following last week's loss at home to Napoli.

The win lifted Milan to eighth with eight points. Sampdoria remain winless and are 18th.

Shots: 15-14

On target: 5-1

Passing: 87%-83%

Possession: 58%-42%