Chievo downs Genoa in Serie A action

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILAN, Italy — Chievo Verona continued its perfect start to the Serie A season by rallying for a 3-1 win over Genoa on Sunday.

Mattia Destro gave Genoa an early lead, but Davide Moscardelli tied it for Chievo before halftime. Michele Marcolini and Sergio Pellissier scored a goal apiece in the second half to make it two wins from as many matches.

Juventus also scored three times, but was unable to record its first win of the season as Sampdoria rallied for a 3-3 tie to leave the Turin club in the lower half of the standings.

Napoli held Bari to a 2-2 tie to stop Giampiero Ventura’s side from joining Chievo atop the standings.

Paolo Barreto gave Bari an early lead, but Edinson Cavani drew Napoli even when Marek Hamsik found him in space in the area to shoot low past Jean Gillet.

Paolo Cannavaro appeared to have won the game for Napoli when he scored with three minutes remaining, but Bari hit back immediately through Jose Castillo.

Brescia beat Palermo to record its first win since being promoted this season, but needed an injury time save from Matteo Sereni to guarantee them the points.

Also on Sunday, it was; Catania 2, Parma 1; Lazio 3, Bologna 1; and Lecce 1, Fiorentina 0.

Destro gave Genoa the lead in the sixth minute, when Rodrigo Palacio chipped over the Chievo defence and Destro ran on to score past Stefano Sorrentino.

Chievo tied it on the stroke of half time. Moscardelli was first to a loose ball in the Genoa area and his shot was deflected off Dario Dainelli and past Eduardo.

Marcolini put Chievo ahead when he headed in Luciano’s cross and Pellissier wrapped up the win by scoring from the edge of the area.

"We had to work hard today, but we’ve been clever with the team as our squad isn’t filled with top class players like others," Chievo coach Stefan Piolo said.

"For now we have reached our targets and with a bit of luck we can continue this way. I wasn’t worried when we went behind as we have worked hard as a team and I knew we could come back."

At Turin’s Olympic Stadium, Sampdoria took the lead when Nicola Pozzi swept in Antonio Cassano’s shot from the edge of the area.

Juventus hit back in the 43rd minute, when Milos Krasic headed back into the area and midfielder Claudio Marchisio raced in to lash the ball home.

Simone Pepe gave Juventus the lead by stabbing the ball home following a goalmouth scramble, but Cassano then linked up with Angelo Palombo to equalize in the 64th minute.

Three minutes later Fabio Quagliarella tapped home after Gianluca Curci was unable to hold Pepe’s shot.

Pozzi then scored his second of the match to give Sampdoria a share of the points by heading in Guido Marilungo’s cross.

"The team played well in both attack and defence, but at the same time made a lot of mistakes," Juventus coach Luigi Delneri said. "Krasic, Pepe and (Alessandro) Del Piero had the Sampdoria defence in trouble, but we need to avoid putting our own defence under unnecessary pressure.

"We need to improve our defending as Sampdoria’s forwards were able to get through too many times."

In Brescia, Simone Dallamano scored for the home side in the third minute with a long-range shot that slipped past Palermo goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.

Andrea Caracciolo and Eder wasted chances to extend the lead before Javier Pastore tied it in the 22nd minute when Pajtim Kasami headed back a cross from Mattia Cassani and the Argentine scored from close range.

Eder linked up with Alessandro Diamanti in the 28th to put Brescia ahead again. Diamanti chipped over Palermo’s defence and Eder slipped the ball under Sirigu.

Caracciolo made it 3-1 just before the break after he was brought down in the area by Ezequiel Munoz. The striker got up to score his first-ever Serie A goal by converting the penalty.

Federico Balzaretti scored Palermo’s second in the 83rd but Brescia goalkeeper Sereni then denied the Sicilian club a share of the points when he saved from Pastore in injury time.

"It was a tough return to action," Sereni said. "We had to work to the very end … (The win) will give confidence to everyone involved with this club."

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