Juventus had been held to a 1-1 draw by Bologna in Serie A on Sunday after surviving a penalty controversy, whereas Lecce bounced again from two objectives down to attract 2-2 at Fiorentina.
Dusan Vlahovic earned disappointing Juve a degree with a bullet header with 10 minutes remaining on the Allianz Stadium after Lewis Ferguson had put Bologna forward halfway by way of the primary half.
However they had been lucky to not lose as referee Marco Di Bello determined to not award a spot-kick to Bologna after Dan Ndoye was introduced down by Samuel Iling-Junior 9 minutes earlier than Vlahovic levelled.
It was a call which so angered Bologna that it prompted a furious post-match response from the membership’s CEO Claudio Fenucci as coach Thiago Motta refused to speak to media.
“I’ve executed this job for 25 years and I do not usually go on TV to speak about referees,” stated Fenucci.
“The win was taken from us by an unbelievable refereeing determination… It is unthinkable {that a} problem like that isn’t punished with a penalty and a crimson card.”
It was an uninspiring show from Juve which poured chilly water on the concept they’re again as league title contenders.
Massimiliano Allegri’s aspect impressed at Udinese final weekend, not simply with the win however with their aggressive, attacking fashion of play.
However on Sunday Juve had been again to the stodgy methods of final season which so angered supporters.
Juve booed
Not even the return of Paul Pogba to midfield might encourage Juve to say the three factors, the France star doing little as a second half substitute as Juve huffed and puffed ineffectively.
Juve had been booed off after a dismal first half which featured only one shot on the right track from the house aspect and not one of the verve which characterised final weekend’s win.
Bologna had been the extra harmful aspect and had been deservedly forward within the twenty fourth minute by way of Ferguson who slotted residence an ideal low end after being brilliantly slipped by way of by Joshua Zirkzee.
Dutch attacker Zirkzee was concerned once more when Ferguson got here near doubling the away aspect’s lead, feeding the Scotland midfielder earlier than one other low effort grazed the upright.
Juve got here out with extra aggression after the break and Vlahovic quickly thought he had equalised with a sensible volleyed end, just for it to be chalked off for Adrien Rabiot straying offside and blocking the view of Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski.
However the match turned on the important thing penalty determination within the 71st minute.
Bologna coach Thiago Motta was booked and one in all his assistants despatched off as they seemed on in disbelief after on-field and VAR officers allowed Iling-Junior to chop down Ndoye to cease him from tapping in from shut vary.
Worse for the away aspect was that the English winger equipped the cross from which Vlahovic headed Juve stage with 10 minutes remaining, however they held out for a creditable level.
Lecce bounce again
Fiorentina seemed set for a easy win in Florence when headers from Nicolas Gonzalez and Alfred Duncan had the hosts two objectives to the great at half-time.
Lecce, who additionally got here from behind to beat Lazio final weekend, pulled one again three minutes after half-time by way of a beautiful curling end from Hamza Rafia.
And Nikola Krstovic earned the away aspect a dramatic level when he evaded two Fiorentina centre backs to move residence Lameck Banda’s inswinging cross.
Vincenzo Italiano’s Fiorentina now face the second leg of his crew’s Convention League play-off with Fast Vienna on Thursday with the Tuscans trailing by a single objective.
Afterward Sunday, champions Napoli make their residence debut this season in opposition to Sassuolo whereas Lazio host Genoa.
Napoli see off Sassuolo
Napoli continued an ideal begin to their Serie A title defence with Sunday’s 2-0 win over 10-man Sassuolo, whereas Juventus survived penalty controversy in a 1-1 draw with livid Bologna.
Victor Osimhen netted his third objective of the season from the penalty spot quarter-hour into Napoli’s first residence match since lifting the league title in entrance of their followers for the third time again in June.
And captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo made certain Napoli would make it six factors from six within the sixty fourth minute, not lengthy after Maxime Lopez was despatched off and Giacomo Raspadori — who had hit the submit seconds after kick-off — blasted a penalty into the stands.
“I believe we performed properly, stored maintain of the ball, we’re glad to have received the match in entrance of our followers,” stated Di Lorenzo.
“We performed properly as a crew. We have began properly and the angle is true so we have got every part for us to have a great season.”
Di Lorenzo’s first objective of the marketing campaign got here after some magical play from the returning Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who made his season debut an hour right into a one-sided contest on the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Kvaratskhelia scored 14 instances final season and arrange the identical quantity once more, and he made his mark simply three minutes after changing Italy ahead Matteo Politano.
The Georgian was surrounded by defenders close to the penalty space however took a few steps ahead earlier than slipping in Di Lorenzo for a easy low end.
It is early days however Napoli already look a harmful proposition beneath new coach Rudi Garcia, who has a tricky act to observe in new Italy boss Luciano Spalletti, the architect of the Scudetto triumph.
Subsequent week Napoli, who’re stage with leaders AC Milan and Verona on the high of the desk, host Lazio who’re but to get off the mark after being crushed 1-0 by Promoted Genoa.
Lazio completed second final season however had been seen off at residence because of Italy ahead Mateo Retegui’s first Serie A objective after signing from Boca Juniors this summer time.
It was a great signal for Spalletti who will want objectives when Italy face North Macedonia and Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying subsequent month.
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