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Juventus extend Serie A lead with lop-sided win over Atalanta

December 17, 2012 11:41 IST

Juventus extended their lead at the top of Serie A with an embarrassingly easy win over Atalanta, who trailed by three goals and were reduced to 10 men after barely more than half an hour on Sunday.

Andrea Pirlo's goal from a curling, dipping free kick was the highlight of Juve's 3-0 win as the titleholders went seven points clear of second-placed Inter Milan.

Juventus's Claudio Marchisio celebrates after scoring against Atalanta during their Serie A match on SundayMirko Vucinic set Juve on their way in the second minute and Claudio Marchisio scored the third as Juventus moved on to 41 points after their 13th win in 17 league games.

AC Milan were given a helping hand on their way to a 4-1 win over lowly Pescara, who gave away two own goals, while Luca Toni scored twice as Fiorentina produced another impressive performance to beat bottom club Siena by the same score.

Roberto Donadoni's Parma also won 4-1, at home to Cagliari, while Sergio Pellissier's 87th-minute goal gave Chievo a 1-0 win over sixth-placed AS Roma in fog-bound Verona.

Napoli (33 points) were at home to Bologna in the late match (1945 GMT) where a win would lift them into second place ahead of Inter, who have 34 points after losing 1-0 at fourth-placed Lazio on Saturday.

Juve's Montenegro forward Vucinic side-footed the ball past Andrea Consigli after less than two minutes, and the match could have taken a different course if German Denis had levelled shortly afterwards.

Instead, Gianluigi Buffon saved the Argentine's effort and Pirlo extended Juve's lead in the 14th minute with a 25-metre free kick, the bearded playmaker's fourth goal of the season.

It was a no-contest after that with Marchisio adding the third from a long-range effort in the 27th minute.

Atalanta's misery was complete when Thomas Manfredini collected two yellow cards in as many minutes and was sent off.

Juventus eased off after that although Sebastian Giovinco and Fabio Quagliarella both had goals disallowed in the second half.

Milan, who notched up their fourth win in a row and are seventh with 27 points, needed only 35 seconds to take the lead against 18th-placed Pescara as Antonio Nocerino tapped in at the far post from Stephan El Shaarawy's cross.

In the second half, Elvis Abruscato and Jonathas both headed into their own goal before El Shaarawy, the Serie A leading scorer, got his 14th goal of the season. Christian Terlizzi replied for Pescara.

Former Italy striker Toni scored after 16 minutes, David Pizarro converted a penalty and Alberto Aquilani scored as Fiorentina raced to a 3-0 lead in the space of 33 minutes against Siena.

Reginaldo pulled one back in the second half only for 35-year-old Toni to complete the scoring for fifth-placed Fiorentina.

France under-20 international Ishak Belfodil scored twice as Parma came from behind to beat Cagliari 4-1 while Argentine trio Mario Paglialunga, Gonzalo Bergessi and Lucas Castro scored in Catania's 3-1 win at home to Sampdoria.

Photograph: Stringer/Giorgio Perottino/Reuters

Source: REUTERS
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