Serie A wrap: Juve stay top as Inter flounder, Milan second

Juventus defeated Inter Milan 2-1 on Saturday to regain the lead in Serie A after AC Milan briefly topped the table with a win over Roma.

Goals from Mirko Vucinic and Claudio Marchisio either side of a Maicon thunderbolt at San Siro ensured Juve remain unbeaten from nine league matches played this season.

Hosts Inter started the brighter of the two teams, with Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon forced into a good save to deny Giampaolo Pazzini early on, while Esteban Cambiasso’s hooked effort sailed narrowly wide of the post.

With just over 10 minutes gone and against the run of play, Juventus took the lead through Vucinic.

The Montenegro forward was the quickest to react after Inter shot-stopper Luca Castellazzi parried Alessandro Matri’s effort, smashing the ball into the back of the net.

A great finish from Maicon brought Inter back on level terms when the Brazil fullback latched onto a neat pass from Wesley Sneider before unleashing a powerful drive beyond Buffon in the 28th minute.

But just five minutes later the visitors struck again to restore their lead.

This time Claudio Marchisio was the man on target, the midfielder slotting past Castellazzi following a neat one-two with Matri.

Juve could have won a penalty just before the break, but referee Nicola Rizzoli waved away their appeals after Marchisio was clumsily brought down by Castellazzi.

Vucinic missed a great opportunity to grab his second of the match shortly after the restart, firing straight at the keeper from two yards out.

It was all Juve as the match drew to a close, with midfielder Andrea Pirlo and veteran striker Alessandro Del Piero both missing chances to extend the lead.

The victory sees Juve top the table with 19 points, two ahead of reigning champions Milan, who are second.

The title holders briefly held first place earlier in the day after their 3-2 win away to Roma.

The visitors led through Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal in the 16th minute at the Stadio Olimpico, before Nicolas Burdisso levelled for Roma.

Alessandro Nesta restored Milan’s advantage on 29 minutes.

And although they lost midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng to a red card in the 65th minute, Ibrahimovic made sure of the win with his second and Milan’s third with 13 minutes remaining.

Bojan Krkic’s 86th-minute effort for Roma proved too late for the home side to mount a comeback.

Finally, Giovanni Marchese’s brace saw Catania come from behind to record a surprise 2-1 win at home to Napoli, who had Mario Santana sent off just before the break.