Napoli sparks life into Serie A with 2-0 win over dominant Juve
Print Edition
GOALS by Jose Callejon and Dries Mertens handed Napoli a stunning 2-0 win over champion Juventus and sparked some life into the Serie A title race on Sunday.
Juventus had seen its 14-point lead cut back earlier in the day when Roma, in second with a game in hand, prevailed 2-0 at struggling Sassuolo.
Napoli came flying out the blocks and at the tail end of a dominant first half Callejon broke the deadlock in the 37th minute. The pace slowed after the break but moments after replacing Marek Hamsik, Mertens made the most of Goran Pandev’s delivery to beat Gianluigi Buffon with a crisp drive from the edge of the area and condemn Juventus to just its second league defeat of the season.
Juventus now lead Roma by 11 points with Napoli, which has been chasing the second automatic Champions League qualifying spot, still third but six points behind Roma and 12 ahead of Fiorentina.
Juventus suffered its only other reverse in a 4-2 defeat away to Fiorentina in October.
In Spain, Getafe fought back for a sorely needed 3-1 victory at Valencia on Sunday, breaking a 15-round winless streak and escaping from the Spanish league’s relegation zone.
Getafe’s first away win since October 31 and first under new coach Cosmin Contra lifted the struggling Madrid-based side one point clear of the drop.
Tempers flared in the final moments after Leon apparently provoked the crowd following his goal. Valencia defender Jeremy Mathieu was sent off for slapping Leon before Contra was also banished from the dugout.
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