Roma 1-3 Inter Milan
New Inter Milan coach Luciano Spalletti had a fruitful return to the Italian capital on Saturday, as his Nerazzurri side came from behind to win at Roma 3-1 in Serie A.
Mauro Icardi scored twice in the second half as Roma was made to pay for its profligacy, having hit the woodwork three times.
Spalletti left Roma by mutual consent at the end of last season and joined Inter shortly afterward, along with sporting director Walter Sabatini. He has two league wins out of two for Inter, after they beat Fiorentina 3-0 in their opener. Icardi also scored two then.
It appeared as if their return would be a miserable one after Edin Dzeko, last season’s top goal-scorer, gave Roma the lead. He chested down Radja Nainggolan’s pass and volleyed it home.
Aleksandar Kolarov hit the post seconds earlier and Roma hit the woodwork twice more through Nainggolan and Diego Perotti.
Inter leveled through Icardi from an Antonio Candreva assist in the 67th.
GOOOOAAAAL: It's that man @MauroIcardi! @Inter_en are level in a match that has seen @ASRomaEN in control. #RomaInter pic.twitter.com/8ngHvvylao
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
Icardi doubled his tally 10 minutes later, controlling Ivan Perisic’s low cross before swiveling to fire into the bottom left corner.
GOOOOAAAAL: It's him again! @MauroIcardi gives @Inter_en the lead with his second goal of the night! #RomaInter pic.twitter.com/6bLHR2Wn5C
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
Matias Vecino sealed the result three minutes from time with his first goal since joining Inter from Fiorentina in the offseason.
GOOOOAAAAL: This is NOT what @ASRomaEN fans wanted to see in Spalletti's return 😱. 3 goals in 20min for @Inter_en. #RomaInter pic.twitter.com/xwoYw5TubK
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
There was controversy however, as Roma felt it should have had a penalty early in the second half when Milan Skriniar appeared to trip Diego Perotti at the byline, but the video assistant referee was not called upon and only a corner was given.
[ PL SUNDAY PREVIEW: Liverpool host Arsenal; Chelsea vs. Everton ]
[ MORE: Saturday’s PL roundup — United keep 100% record; City win late ]
Genoa 2-4 Juventus
MILAN (AP) The limitations of video review were obvious at Genoa, where Juventus fought back from two goals down to win 4-2 in Serie A on Saturday thanks to a hat trick from Paulo Dybala.
Video review (VAR) was used twice in the first half, to give both sides a penalty. However, Genoa forward Andrej Galabinov was offside before he was fouled by Daniele Rugani, while there were also grumbles about Juve’s spot kick.
Meanwhile, Benevento thought it picked up a first ever point in Serie A but the VAR ruled out what would have been a stoppage-time equalizer and it lost to Bologna 1-0.
In a frantic start, Genoa took the lead against Juventus inside 20 seconds when Miralem Pjanic inadvertently turned Goran Pandev’s cross into his own net.
Galabinov doubled Genoa’s lead six minutes later from the spot after his ankle was clipped by Rugani. It was the second penalty awarded against Juventus by video review in as many matches.
Dybala, who scored in Juve’s opening win at Cagliari last weekend, halved the deficit in the 14th minute when he fired Pjanic’s pullback into the top left corner.
GOOAAAL!! @PauDybala_JR gets the bianconeri on the scoreboard. Great 1,2 play and Paulo finishes it. 15 minutes in 2-1. #GenoaJuve #SerieA pic.twitter.com/P8Kj9APLW3
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
And Juventus leveled in first-half stoppage time through a penalty of its own, which Dybala drove emphatically into the roof of the net after Mario Mandzukic kicked the ball onto Darko Lazovic’s hand from close range.
Here we go again, the VAR has grante another PK to the #Genoa@juventusfcen game. This time is for @juventusfcen as @PauDybala_JR scores pic.twitter.com/ZWLd7O8M6P
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
Juan Cuadrado had a poor match, but gave Juventus the lead shortly after the hour mark. The Colombia winger chested down Mandzukic’s pass, turned Diego Laxalt and placed the ball into the far top corner.
Dybala sealed the result in stoppage time with an accurate shot into the near corner for his first hat trick for Juventus.
GOOAAAL! That's 3 for his individual count, 4 for @juventusfcen as @PauDybala_JR takes home his first 🎩trick. #GenoaJuventus pic.twitter.com/yBrfk9Oaj8
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) August 26, 2017
