MILAN, Sep 24: Inter Milan’s perfect start to the Serie A season continued with a 1-0 win at Empoli on Sunday but the Nerazzurri found it harder than they perhaps expected against a side that has yet to register a point or score a goal after five matches.
It needed a special strike from Federico Dimarco in the second half to break down Empoli’s resolute defense, which had conceded 12 goals in its previous four matches.
More than half of those came in last weekend’s 7-0 defeat at Roma, which led to the dismissal of coach Paolo Zanetti and the hiring of Aurelio Andreazzoli for his third spell at the club. Inter has now won all five of its Serie A matches, conceding just one goal, and moved three points ahead of second-place AC Milan.
Lazio held
Lazio’s poor start to the Serie A season continued with a 1-1 home draw against Monza after Ciro Immobile’s penalty was cancelled out by a Roberto Gagliardini tap-in on Saturday. Lazio opened the scoring with Immobile’s penalty in the 12th minute after Patrick Ciurria tripped Mattia Zaccagni.
But an unmarked Gagliardini equalised for the visitors nine minutes before the break by tapping in a cross from close range.
Juve suffer first loss
Juventus fell to its first loss of the season after three glaring errors contributed to a 4-2 defeat at struggling Sassuolo in Serie A on Saturday, including a bizarre late own goal.
Bianconeri goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny first gifted the home side the lead when he failed to make a routine save on a shot from Armand Laurienté in the 13th minute. Another mistake from Szczesny gave Sassuolo a 3-2 lead in the 82nd and Juventus then added a comical own goal in injury time.
Szczesny left his goal to take a free kick near the corner flag, passing the ball across the pitch to Gatti as Juventus tried to launch a final attack in search of an equalizer. However, the defender came under quick pressure and passed the ball back toward the goal seemingly forgetting that his goalkeeper was not there and it bobbled into the empty net.
It was Juventus’ first loss of the fledgling campaign after three wins and a draw. (PTI)
