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Newly promoted Cesena holds Roma 0-0

ROME - Newly promoted Cesena held AS Roma to a 0-0 draw Saturday to mark its return to the top division after a 20-year absence, kicking off the Serie A season.

Cesena’s 40-year-old goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli made a series of tough saves against his former club and newly signed Japan left back Yuto Nagatomo and Albania forward Erjon Bogdani threatened Roma’s goal.

“It’s impressive for a goalkeeper to make saves like that at the age of 40,” Roma midfielder David Pizarro said. “We gave our all but tonight but the goal just wasn’t open for us. We created a lot of chances.”

Earlier, Genoa won 1-0 at Udinese, with Giandomenico Mesto scoring the season’s first goal with a bicycle kick.

On Sunday, it’s: Bari vs. Juventus; Chievo Verona vs. Catania; Fiorentina vs. Napoli; AC Milan vs. Lecce; Palermo vs. Cagliari; Parma vs. Brescia; and Sampdoria vs. Lazio.

Five-time defending champion Inter Milan opens at Bologna on Monday, three days after being beaten by Atletico Madrid in the European Super Cup.

At the Stadio Olimpico, Nagatomo had a good chance in the 20^th, shooting wide to conclude a swift counterattack, and Antonioli made a tough save on a shot from Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi in the 35^th.

Roma created two successive chances in the 71^st and 72^nd, with Antonioli racing back in position to block an effort from Mirko Vucinic and then John Arne Riise shooting wide.

Down at the other end, Bogdani hit the side netting in the 80^th.

Having newly signed forward Adriano come in off the bench would have been a nice boost for Roma but the Brazilian is out for up to a month after tearing a muscle in his right thigh in training Wednesday.

On a rainy evening at Stadio Friuli, Mesto connected with his acrobatic volley from the edge of the box in the 81^st minute following a header from teammate Dario Dainelli.

Newly signed Genoa forward Luca Toni exited with an apparent muscle problem in the 39^th, while last season’s Serie A scoring leader, Antonio Di Natale of Udinese, created a few chances before he was replaced in the 79^th.