Leaders Juventus moved five points clear at the top of Serie A as goals by Alessandro Del Piero and Marcelo Zalayeta gave them a 2-0 win over AS Roma on Thursday.

Unbeaten Juve, with seven wins in eight matches, have 22 points while AC Milan, who beat Atalanta 3-0 on Wednesday, are second on 17 points with Lecce a further two points behind in third place.

Juventus coach Fabio Capello left Roma in the close season to take over at the Delle Alpi and his old club look well below the standards he set during his five years in the capital.

Luigi Del Neri's Roma side are now 13 points behind Juventus and down in ninth place in the league table.

Both teams struggled in heavy rain but Del Piero fired the home side ahead in the 31st minute with a 20 metre drive after being set up by Mauro Camoranesi.

Juve's Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a header disallowed for offside in the 40th minute before Roma went close to an equaliser.

Francesco Totti fed Vincenzo Montella who surged into the area but his shot was superbly pushed over by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, with a one-handed reflex save.

After the break Camoranesi wasted a good chance when he blasted high and wide from a promising position but while creating little Juve never looked in real trouble at the back.

Uruguayan Zalayeta replaced Del Piero in the 72nd minute and just two minutes later doubled the lead, bursting into the area and going past defender Matteo Ferrarri before driving home.

Juve's Brazilian former Roma midfielder Emerson was sent off in the 89th minute for a second yellow card.

Capello said that while conditions made an entertaining game almost impossible, he was pleased with the display.

"It was a good performance from both teams, taking into account the playing surface. Roma have a lot of quality up front and we maintained our concentration and were able to keep them down to just one real chance," he said.

The Juventus coach praised Buffon for his save from Montella which ensured the leaders went in ahead at the break.

"He is the best goalkeeper in the world and that was a vital stop," he said.