Rate it!

0 votes

Brazilian striker Amauri scored to secure three Serie A points for Juventus at struggling Siena.

The Bianconeri's number 11 met Diego's free kick with a downward header to score past a helpless Gianluca Curci with 18 minutes to play.

This victory at the Artemio Franchi was Juventus' first in five league games and closed the gap on Inter Milan at the top.

During an insipid first half Juventus dominated possession, but their approach play was laboured and predictable, allowing Siena to extinguish their threat.

It was in fact the home side who produced one of the game's few highlights. Midfielder Mato Jajalo burst through the centre of the pitch and unleashed a fierce drive from distance. The ball moved in the air like a paper dart, almost catching Gianluigi Buffon out, as it narrowly missed the target.

After 32 minutes of huffing and puffing Diego picked out Giorgio Chiellini with a floated free kick from the right, but the defender contrived to miss, heading over from close range.

On the cusp of half-time Buffon ensured Juventus headed in on level terms. Jajalo lifted a clever ball over the visitor's defence to Albin Ekdal.

The Swede brought the pass down with his head and tried to flick the ball over Buffon, but the Italian managed to claw it out the air and smother the danger.

There was little to enthuse about the second half. Siena maintained their defensive tactics and Juventus struggled to break them down.

The game looked to be heading for a draw when Amauri struck in the 72nd minute. Brazilian midfielder Diego flighted a free kick into the box where his countryman Amauri arrived unmarked.

The striker made no mistake guiding his header into the back of the net to the delight of his manager Ciro Ferrara.

Marco Giampaolo will be disappointed with his defenders for falling asleep at the set piece.

On the balance of play Juve deserved their goal, but they were far from convincing with creativity absent from their play.

The home side offered very little in response and the visitors saw out the victory comfortably, piling the pressure on Giampaolo with Siena second from bottom in Serie A.

Juve are third with 18 points from nine games, four behind Internazionale and two shy of second-placed Sampdoria, after the leading duo beat Catania 2-1 and Bologna 4-1 respectively on Saturday.

Fiorentina, who started the weekend level with Juve, are three points further behind in fourth after they lost 1-0 at home to Napoli.

Napoli's Christian Maggio ran on to a German Denis pass and poked in a late goal to hand Fiorentina their first home defeat this season and give Napoli their first away victory in 12 months.

They looked like they were set to go home with just a point when Fiorentina's Sebastien Frey pushed away Fabio Quagliarella's spot-kick 10 minutes from time.

Palermo climbed up to joint fourth alongside the Florence club with a 1-0 home win over Udinese secured by Cesare Bovo's deflected late volley.

Livorno moved off the bottom by beating Roma 1-0 away thanks to former Roma forward Francesco Tavano's 40th-minute strike to give new coach Serse Cosmi a win in his first game in charge despite having goalkeeper Alfonso De Lucia sent off in the 64th.

Roma's Mirko Vucinic had struck the post in the 56th minute having just messed up a glorious opportunity to equalise with the goal gaping.

Eurosport / Reuters