Salah, Gervinho fire Roma top of Serie A

First-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Gervinho in a 2-1 win over leaders Fiorentina fired Roma to the top of Serie A as the Giallorossi underlined their scudetto credentials in style on Sunday.

Fiorentina dropped one place to second at two points adrift with Inter Milan, held to a 1-1 draw at Palermo on Saturday, sitting third, also on 18 points.

It was a nervous return to Florence for Egyptian international Salah, who is still the subject of a dispute with his former club following his summer move to the Stadio Olimpico.

Whistled every time he touched the ball at a packed Artemio Franchi stadium, Salah reminded fans what they are missing after just seven minutes when he put the visitors ahead with a fine opener.

Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan had done well to win the ball with a sliding tackle just outside the area and set up Salah for the Egyptian to fire a superb curling strike that beat Ciprian Tatarusanu at the goalkeeper's far post.

There were no celebrations, just a brief prayer of thanks from the practising Muslim.

Fiorentina saw early claims for a penalty waved away after Roma 'keeper Wojciech Szczesny ran out to collect a through ball for Nikola Kalinic on the very limit of the area, the Fiorentina players claiming he had handled outside the area.

But the hosts spurned a series of early chances, Facundo Roncaglia firing just wide of Szczesny's post with the 'keeper at full stretch and Kalinic firing just over the onrushing Szczesny after beating the offside trap to run on to a through ball from his own half.

Fiorentina were pressing high and enjoying plenty of possession around the Roma area, but with the chance to go top the visitors' defence was on full alert.

Fiorentina eventually paid the price when Florenzi pounced on a mis-hit pass to launch a long ball forward for Gervinho, who turned on the turbo boosters to power down the right flank.

Salah had pulled almost level with the Ivorian on a two-on-two but Gervinho kept his composure to beat Tatarusanu with an angled strike from the edge of the box.

Matias Vecino came close to reducing the arrears just before the interval, Szczesny producing a great save to keep the Fiorentina midfielder's drive out of the top corner.

Two minutes later, Josip Ilicic forced Szczesny into action with a strike that crept just wide of his left upright.

Fiorentina resumed in positive fashion but Kalinic twice spurned the chance to fashion an equaliser when he was closed down twice in front of goal following low crosses by Ilicic.

But Roma remained dangerous, and should have put the match beyond reach when Edin Dzeko's lob found Gervinho in space behind the Fiorentina defence just before the hour.

Tatarusanu rushed out to push the ball away from the Ivorian's feet and when it fell to Florenzi, Federico Bernardeschi cleared the right-back's goalbound effort off the line.

Fiorentina created a number of other chances and late subtitute Giuseppe Rossi had the ball in the net in the final minutes although Kalinic was already a metre offside.

Khouma Babacar replaced defender Gonzalo Rodriguez on 81 minutes and reduced the arrears with a great first-time strike with virtually the last kick of the game in injury time.

Earlier, Paulo Dybala scored one and provided an assist for fellow striker Mario Mandzukic as stuttering champions Juventus claimed just their third win of the season in a 2-0 defeat of Atalanta.

AC Milan ended a three-game winless streak with a 2-1 home win over Sassuolo, while Lazio forward Felipe Anderson hit a brace in a 3-0 win over Torino that sent the Biancocelesti up to fourth place on the same points as Fiorentina and Inter.

nguon:  www.worldfootball

Higuain on target as Napoli edge Fiorentina

Gonazalo Higuain's fifth league goal of the season helped Napoli to a precious 2-1 win over league leaders Fiorentina on Sunday as Mauricio Sarri's men moved up to fourth place in Serie A.

Napoli welcomed Fiorentina to the San Paolo looking to maintain a recent purple patch that has seen Sarri's side remain unbeaten in their last six outings.

Fiorentina were tough customers, but after Nikola Kalinic had levelled Lorenzo Insigne's superb opener for the hosts, Higuain struck in the 75th minute to secure Napoli's fourth win of the campaign.

Fiorentina, conceding just their second defeat, remain top but now have just a one-point lead on Roma and two on Inter Milan, who could go top of the league if they beat Juventus in the 'Derby d'Italia' later Sunday.

Napoli, runners-up in 2013 and who won the last of their last two league titles in 1990, have recently been touted as possible scudetto challengers.

But while Sarri applauded his side's performance, he refused to be drawn on just how far Napoli can go.

"Fiorentina are the most technically gifted side in the league, so we did well," he said.

"In the second half we lifted the tempo but Ilicic and Kalinic combined well for their goal.

"We had to dig deep mentally for our second goal. It was an intense game and the win didn't come easily."

He added: "Obviously we're doing well, but there is so long to go and we have to simply focus on developing as a team."

Paulo Sousa's Fiorentina have been described as one of the most stylish teams in the league and were unlucky not to snatch a share of the points.

Fiorentina bossed the opening half but the deadlock was finally broken two minutes after the restart when Insigne beat Ciprian Tatarusanu at his far post after running on to Marek Hamsik's superb defence-splitting pass down the left.

Minutes later Higuain spurned the chance to double Napoli's lead when he bundled just over from close range.

Fiorentina appeared to be on their way to a share of the spoils after Croatia international Kalinic, who hit a hat-trick in a recent 4-1 romp over Inter, ran on to Josip Ilicic's delivery to slot the ball past Pepe Reina down low.

But minutes later the stadium erupted when Higuain dispossessed Ilicic deep in Fiorentina territory, played a one-two with Dries Mertens and held off his marker to beat Tatarusanu down low.

Sousa applauded his side's display and, like Sarri, refused to be drawn on La Viola's title-winning potential.

"You can never be satisfied, we're always working to improve, but I'm proud of the lads and their attitude to this game and a team that is technically and physically strong," said Sousa.

"We hope to be competitive, today as in every other game. For me, creating this winning culture is (equivalent to) winning the scudetto."

Elsewhere, Sampdoria's promising start came to a shuddering halt with a 2-0 defeat at Frosinone, while Lazio were stunned 2-1 away to Sassuolo.

Frosinone grabbed just their second win of the campaign thanks to second-half goals in the space of a minute from Luca Paganini and Federico Dionisi.

Sassuolo were 2-0 up by the hour mark thanks to a Domenico Berardi penalty on seven minutes and Simone Missiroli's 60th minute strike.

Felipe Anderson hit a consolation for Lazio on 67 minutes, but Stefano Pioli's men were well beaten.

Atalanta, meanwhile, romped to 3-0 win over Carpi in Bergamo that came complete with a stunning corner kick goal from Alejandro Gomez.

Mauricio Pinilla gave the hosts a welcome eighth-minute opener after meeting Maxi Moralez's curling delivery from the right to head past Carpi 'keeper Vid Belec at his near post.

Belec was beaten again on the stroke of half-time in more spectacular fashion, Gomez hitting a superb corner that sneaked over the entire Carpi defence and into the far top corner.

Atalanta wrapped up the points when Luca Cigarini fired past Belec from the penalty spot on 63 minutes after Pinilla was fouled by Igor Bubnjic.

nguon:  www.worldfootball