GOONERSGUIDE ITALIAN SERIE A NEWS SECTION

This is our Italian Serie A news section where we provide any news items that might have a significant effect on the matches being played - or sports betting in general.

Italian Serie A News :: Round One : Lazio and Torino lead after Milan, Juventus and Inter all fail to win

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Posted on 2008-08-31 by Gooner

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Internazionale's disappointment at dropping two points in their Serie A opener on Saturday will have been tempered by draws for last season's nearest challengers Roma and Juventus and a shock home defeat for city rivals AC Milan on Sunday.

Champions Inter began their quest for a fourth straight Scudetto with a 1-1 draw at Sampdoria on Saturday and would probably have expected to lose ground to both Roma and Milan on the first round of fixtures.

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AC Milan's miserable form at the San Siro continued with a 2-1 loss to Bologna.

Not even Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko were able to reverse a trend of bad results at home which effectively condemned Milan to finishing only fifth last season.

Marco di Vaio put Bologna ahead in the 18th minute and although Massimo Ambrosini got the Rossoneri back on level terms at the break, a wonder goal from Francesco Valiani sealed the win for Bologna 10 minutes from time.

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In the evening kick-off, Pavel Nedved gave Juve a deserved first-half lead but Alberto Gilardino levelled the scores for Fiorentina late on despite the Viola having one man fewer following Felipe Melo's dismissal.

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Roma drew 1-1 with Napoli in the capital after went ahead in the 29th minute through Alberto Aquilani as they dominated the first half against Napoli.

But it was a different story in the second period with Marek Hamsik netting a deserved equaliser in the 55th minute - shortly after Fabiano Santacroce was sent off for the visitors.

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Roma's Eternal City rivals Lazio enjoyed a much more productive first afternoon, coming from behind to record a thumping 4-1 win at Cagliari.

Joaquin Larrivey put the hosts in the ascendancy but they were reduced to 10 men just after the hour mark when Diego Lopez was given his marching orders.

And Delio Rossi's men took full advantage of their numerical superiority with a brace from new signing Mauro Zarate (one penalty) and further strikes from substitute Pasquale Foggia and Goran Pandev.

The emphatic triumph gives Lazio the early lead at the Serie A summit on goals scored.

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Torino, 3-0 winners at home to newly-promoted Lecce, are in second place.

Alessandro Rosina's penalty in the 29th minute gave Torino the ideal start, before Paolo Zanetti added a second four minutes later and debutant Rolando Bianchi headed home the third to complete the rout 16 minutes from time.

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Simone Padoin's 15th-minute goal was enough for Atalanta to register a 1-0 victory over Siena, who were not helped by the dismissal of Massimo Maccarone with four minutes remaining.

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Walter Zenga's Catania edged past Genoa 1-0 thanks to a Giuseppe Mascara strike just after the hour.

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Chievo made a triumphant return to the top flight with a late 2-1 home win over Reggina.

Having spent just one season in the second division, the Gialloblu made a fine start to the new campaign and came back from a goal down through Michele Marcolini's penalty in the 76th minute and Vincenzo Italiano's strike two minutes from time.

Bernard Corradi had briefly put the visitors ahead with a 72nd-minute spot-kick but Reggina could not find an equaliser despite Chievo new boy Antonio Langella's dismissal late on.

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In Saturday's Serie A curtain-raiser, Antonio di Natale scored twice as Udinese posted a convincing 3-1 victory over Palermo.

The Italy international put the home side in control with two first-half strikes and, although Palermo threatened a comeback when Mark Bresciano scored, highly-rated Switzerland midfielder Gokhan Inler settled the contest shortly after.

 

Sourced From : SportingLife.com

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