Juventus moves back top with 3-0 win over Palermo

ROME - Juventus reclaimed the Serie A lead with a dominating 3-0 win over Palermo on Sunday, as previous leader Udinese fell to a 2-0 defeat at Parma.

By (AP)

Published: Sun 20 Nov 2011, 10:40 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 8:14 AM

Simone Pepe put Juventus in front with a leaping header in the 20th minute, Alessandro Matri doubled the lead with a sharply angled shot in the 48th and Claudio Marchisio sealed the victory in the 65th.

Also, Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo hit the post in the 31st as the 27-time champion from Turin remained unbeaten — with a game in hand.

Juventus and Lazio are level with 22 points each but Juventus holds the edge on goal difference ahead of the two clubs’ meeting next weekend — with head-to-head results the first tiebreaker in the Italian league.

AC Milan and Udinese are next with 21 points each.

Udinese had allowed just four goals in its opening 10 matches but was quickly in trouble at Parma when Daniele Galloppa hit the post for the hosts eight minutes in.

Jonathan Biabiany then gave Parma the lead in the 58th after being left wide open inside the box for a header and the French forward also earned a penalty kick that Sebastian Giovinco converted in the 76th.

The closest Udinese came to scoring was a free kick from Antonio Di Natale that was tipped over the bar by Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante in the 73rd.

Lazio drew 0-0 at Napoli on Saturday and Milan had its five-match winning streak snapped with a scoreless draw at Fiorentina.

Elsewhere Sunday, Genoa edged Novara with an 86th-minute strike from Miguel Veloso as both sides ended with 10 men.

Also, Atalanta forward German Denis scored twice to move atop the scoring chart with his eighth and ninth goals of the season in a 2-2 draw at Siena, which got an 87th-minute equalizer from Alessandro Gazzi; and Chievo Verona won 2-1 at Catania with goals from Sergio Pellissier and Paolo Sammarco.

Earlier in the lunchtime fixture, last-place Cesena beat Bologna 1-0 in a regional derby for its first victory of the season, with Marco Parolo scoring the winner in the 84th with a spectacular shot into the top corner from 25 meters (yards).