GIUSEPPE ROSSI SCORED a hat-trick for Fiorentina in a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 win over Juventus on Sunday which helped Roma maintain their five-point lead at the top of Serie A.
Roma’s 2-0 defeat of Napoli on Friday opened up a five-point cushion over both Rafael Benitez’s side and Juventus ahead of the latter’s visit to Florence.
And despite Juventus holding a 2-0 lead at the half-time interval following a Carlos Tevez penalty and a strike from Paul Pogba, the champions crumbled during 14 second-half minutes in which ‘La Viola’ staged a remarkable comeback.
Roma now have a maximum 24 points from eight wins with Napoli back up to second at five points adrift with Juventus, suffering their first defeat of the season, slipping one place to third.
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Fiorentina’s win was not the only shock of the day, however, with Atalanta securing a precious 2-1 win at home to Lazio thanks to German Denis’s 84th minute winner.
Early season surprise packages Verona kept their place in the top five thanks to a 3-2 win over Parma which came courtesy of two penalties from Jorginho in the 61st and 88th minutes.
Verona, one of three promoted teams from Serie B, now sit fourth, eight points behind Roma and one ahead of Fiorentina although both sides could be overtaken by Inter if Walter Mazzarri’s men beat Torino in Sunday’s late match.
Sampdoria, meanwhile, had Nicola Pozzi’s penalty strike in the sixth minute of added-on time to thank for a 2-1 away win at new boys Livorno.
It was the struggling Genoa club’s first win of the campaign and moved them two places above the relegation zone.
It leaves Bologna as the only team in Serie A without a win.
After a 2-1 defeat away to promoted Sassuolo, Stefano Pioli’s men prop up the table with three points from a possible 24.
Rossi’s triple strike means the former Manchester United striker is now Serie A’s top scorer with eight goals from eight games.
He helped spark the fightback when he beat Gianluigi Buffon from the penalty spot in the 66th minute after Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah was adjudged to have fouled Matias Fernandez.
Rossi levelled for the hosts when he held off the threat of Pogba on the edge of the area and sent a superbly-struck angled shot across Buffon and into the net.
Just as Arturo Vidal, who started on the bench after missing training due to a late return from Chile, was preparing to replace Claudio Marchisio for the final quarter hour Fiorentina took the lead.
Juve’s defence was in disarray when Borja Valero saw Joaquin unmarked to the right of the area and the Spaniard made no mistake, beating Buffon with a precise right-foot shot at his near post to claim his first goal in Serie A.
Two minutes later Rossi grabbed his third when Fiorentina caught Juve sleeping on the counter-attack.
Giuseppe Rossi hits 15-minute hat-trick to stun Juventus
Updated 17.20
GIUSEPPE ROSSI SCORED a hat-trick for Fiorentina in a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 win over Juventus on Sunday which helped Roma maintain their five-point lead at the top of Serie A.
Roma’s 2-0 defeat of Napoli on Friday opened up a five-point cushion over both Rafael Benitez’s side and Juventus ahead of the latter’s visit to Florence.
And despite Juventus holding a 2-0 lead at the half-time interval following a Carlos Tevez penalty and a strike from Paul Pogba, the champions crumbled during 14 second-half minutes in which ‘La Viola’ staged a remarkable comeback.
Roma now have a maximum 24 points from eight wins with Napoli back up to second at five points adrift with Juventus, suffering their first defeat of the season, slipping one place to third.
Fiorentina’s win was not the only shock of the day, however, with Atalanta securing a precious 2-1 win at home to Lazio thanks to German Denis’s 84th minute winner.
Early season surprise packages Verona kept their place in the top five thanks to a 3-2 win over Parma which came courtesy of two penalties from Jorginho in the 61st and 88th minutes.
It was the struggling Genoa club’s first win of the campaign and moved them two places above the relegation zone.
It leaves Bologna as the only team in Serie A without a win.
After a 2-1 defeat away to promoted Sassuolo, Stefano Pioli’s men prop up the table with three points from a possible 24.
Rossi’s triple strike means the former Manchester United striker is now Serie A’s top scorer with eight goals from eight games.
He helped spark the fightback when he beat Gianluigi Buffon from the penalty spot in the 66th minute after Ghanaian Kwadwo Asamoah was adjudged to have fouled Matias Fernandez.
Rossi levelled for the hosts when he held off the threat of Pogba on the edge of the area and sent a superbly-struck angled shot across Buffon and into the net.
Two minutes later Rossi grabbed his third when Fiorentina caught Juve sleeping on the counter-attack.
YouTube credit: GoalHighlights
© AFP, 2013
First published at 17.00
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