Rate it!

2 votes

Juventus moved to within four points of league leaders Internazionale following a flattering 5-2 victory over Atalanta at the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia.

Having seen their hosts create and squander some decent opportunities, Juventus took a quick fire two goal lead thanks to a Mauro Camoranesi double.

Having had the better openings of a turgid first forty five, Antonio Conte's men will have felt aggrieved to have gone in at the break two goals down but they halved the deficit six minutes into the second half through Jaime Valdes.

Felipe Melo restored the two goal advantage but Fabio Ceravolo's strike made it look like it was going to be another tense finale for the Bianconeri, before late Diego and David Trezeguet strikes completed what turned out to be a rout.

The visitors had much of the early possession without really threatening Andrea Consigli's goal - bar a Camoranesi effort from just outside the box that had the keeper scrambling to save.

In fact, having weathered the early storm Atalanta began to get somewhat of a foothold in the game and had the better of the chances before Camoranesi struck.

First, Simone Tiribocchi toe poked past Gianluigi Buffon but the wrong side of the post before Cristiano Doni's snap volley from a short corner whistled past the post with Italy's number one beaten.

But just as it looked as though the home side were in the ascendancy, Juventus broke and Camoranesi headed them into the lead. The diminutive midfield man getting in between Leonardo Talamonti and Federico Peluso to direct a Diego cross past Consigli.

And before Antonio Conte's men had time to regroup the Italian international had doubled his side's advantage. Picking up a loose clearance, he opened his body before curling the ball around Peluso and into the bottom corner.

Tiberio Guarente almost halved the deficit on the stroke of half time but his volley from a Ceravolo lay-off was beaten to safety by Buffon.

But it only took six second half minutes for Atalanta to halve that deficit. Guarente turned provider and split the visitor's defence with a ball behind Martin Caceres that Valdes fired between the legs of an onrushing Buffon.

Juventus thought they had regained their two goal advantage when Melo tapped in at the back post from a Diego free-kick but - after a moment's confusion - the referee ruled it out for offside.

However, Melo wasn't to be denied and having picked up another loose Atalanta clearance he fired past Consigli from 25 yards out.

Atalanta continued to threaten and Valdes almost curled his side back into contention before Ceravalo collected a Tiribocchi switch of play and cut inside Fabio Grosso to coolly slot home.

Atalanta toiled in search of an equaliser but offered very little in terms of clear cut attacking threat and when Juventus broke Diego did well to collect a deflected Camoranesi cross and slot past Consigli from the edge of the six yard box.

With the home side well beaten the hitherto anonymous Trezeguet pounced on a loose ball to fire a fifth past a hapless Consigli.

Catania 0-0 Napoli

Catania were frustated by Napoli's defence and their own poor finishing as the sides played out a 0-0 draw in their Serie A clash at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.

Napoli's impressive form under new coach Walter Mazzarri appeared to fizzle out completely as they were lucky to draw with Serie A's second-from-bottom club.

The visitors showed none of the fury that had enabled them to come from behind to beat Juventus 3-2 last weekend, their third win in four games after Mazzarri replaced Roberto Donadoni.

The Sicilians were more enterprising and Japanese forward Takayuki Morimoto missed a glorious opportunity before the break when he blasted at the keeper from short range with the goal gaping.

Napoli have 18 points and are joint fifth with Fiorentina, who visit Udinese on Sunday, 10 points behind leaders Inter Milan.

Reuters / Eurosport