A great second-half display from Juventus proved too much for a depleted Roma to contend with at the Stadio Olimpico, with Juve winning 4-1 to cut Internazionale Milano’s Serie A lead to four points.
Missing the injured Francesco Totti, Simone Perrotta, Juan and Rodrigo Taddei as well as the suspended Daniele De Rossi, Roma fell behind eleven minutes before half-time when Vincenzo Iaquinta ran on to Sebastian Giovinco’s pass and beat Doni. Centre-back Simone Loria levelled for the Giallorossi three minutes after the break but Juventus were soon back in front through Iaquinta’s 55th-minute header. Olof Mellberg headed in Alessandro Del Piero’s corner after 68 minutes and substitute Pavel Nedvěd (74) − on the field for just four minutes − confirmed Roma’s second home loss of the season with a shot from the edge of the penalty area. Inter host bottom side Reggina Calcio on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Calcio Catania condemned Lazio to a second consecutive defeat with a 1-0 victory at the Stadio Angelo Massimino. The Etnei’s on-loan Juventus striker Michele Paolucci scored the winner midway through the first half, tapping Pablo Ledesma’s cross-shot into an empty net for his eighth league goal of the season.