Juve edge Napoli, oust them from top spot

  • 2/5/2023
  • 18:05
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Rome, Jumada I 4, 1437, Feb 13, 2016, SPA -- Substitute Simone Zaza scored a late winner Saturday for champions Juventus to help them beat Napoli 1-0 and leapfrog them atop the Italian Serie A. The striker came on for the lacklustre Alvaro Morata in the 58th minute and found the net with two minutes left, stunning Pepe Reina as defender Raul Albiol slightly deflected the drive. Juve, who lifted the past four titles, started poorly in the current season but sit now on 57 points from 25 games after a run of 15 straight wins. Napoli stayed on 56, ending a run of eight victories. The Turin hosts pressed hard in the first half but never truly worried Reina, who saved drives from Juan Cuadrado and Claudio Marchisio as Paulo Dybala had an effort deflected and Paul Pogba misfired in a couple of occasions. In the other goal, Juve captain Gianluigi Buffon only had to thank his defender Leonardo Bonucci for tipping a cross in the 35th minute that Gonzalo Higuain could have headed in. Dybala fired narrowly high in the 62nd off a Pogba assist, and Marek Hamsik fired over 10 minutes from time as Napoli played a more aggressive second half. The in-form Zaza, however, proved effective upfront and got the crucial winner after handling a ball outside the box. Chievo and Sassuolo drew 1-1 earlier Saturday with Valter Birsa converting a penalty to hand Chievo the lead in the 29th minute, only for Nicola Sansone to level within a minute with a long-range drive into the top corner. Sassulo stay in eighth position with 35 points from 25 games, and Chievo sit 10th, four points further back. --SPA 04:03 LOCAL TIME 01:03 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w

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