Serie A Round-Up: Matchday 12

Serie A The Serie A season is shaping up nicely and after 12 games it's very close throughout the league. Saturday's action saw Inter Milan keep up the pace on the leaders after a 2-0 victory against Livorno. A goalkeeping howler saw Francesco Bardi turn the ball into his own net and that was the difference at the interval. In the second-half, Javier Zanetti made his comeback after a potential career-ending injury and Nagatamo sealed the win in injury time. The win puts Inter in 4th place, while Livorno are 3 points above the relegation places. In the only other game on Saturday, Catania beat Udinese 1-0. Lopez' penalty on the half hour mark was the difference in the end, 3 points that could prove vital. They sit second-bottom in the table with 9 points, while Udinese are 12th. League leaders Roma could only draw at home to Sassuolo, after Longhi's own goal was cancelled out by a 90th minute equaliser from Sassuolo's Berardi. Roma's lead at the top of the pile is now just a single point, while Sassuolo hover a single point above the relegation zone. Juventus cut the deficit at the top of the table and moved a point behind Roma with a 3-0 win against Napoli. Fernando Llorente's early header put Juve ahead at half-time and in the second period they capitalised. Pirlo scored a trademark free-kick before Paul Pogba scored a stunning goal a few minutes later. In the dying moments, a needless challenge saw Juve defender Ogbonna receive his second yellow. The victory gives Juventus a three point cushion over third placed Napoli. Fiorentina's 2-1 victory over Sampdoria came courtesy of an early brace from Rossi. Gabbiadini pulled one back in the second-half but the hosts kept their nerve to secure 3 points and sit 5th place in the table. Sampdoria sit third-bottom, tied on points with Sassuolo. Milan's poor season continued with a 0-0 draw at Chievo, in a game where both sides were reduced to 10-men. Substitute Pellissier was sent off for the hosts after two bookable offences, while Milan saw Montolivo dismissed for the same reason. Milan sit mid-table and Chievo are rock bottom. Lazio drew 1-1 away at Parma and the visitors took the lead through Balde Diao 5 minutes into the second-half. Parma equalised thanks to Lucarelli and later saw Rosi receive a straight-red but the visitors couldn't capitalise on their man advantage. Lazio sit 8th, while Parma are 11th. Cagliari secured a 2-1 win at home to Torino thanks to a brace from Conti, his second goal being an 88th minute winner after Immobile had equalised for Torino. The win moves Cagliari above Torino in the table to 13th position, with Torino 14th. Atalanta defeated Bologna 2-1 thanks to a 90th minute winner from Livaja. Earlier, the hosts had taken the lead via Brivio only to see Bologna equalise 3 minutes later thanks to Bianchi. The win moved Atalanta 3 points above AC Milan, while Bologna are just a point above the relegation zone. Finally, Genoa cut the lead Verona had over them with a 2-0 victory. Portanova and Kucka scored the goals for the hosts, moving them up to 7th and 5 points behind Verona in 6th.
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Josh has had work featured in the Evening Gazette and on Newcastle United website. He is a Multimedia Journalism student at Teesside University and runs a successful sports blog. He also enjoys films, comics and TV, writing about anything he can. Josh has recently started writing his first of what he hopes will be many books.