Serie A - Week 3: Sunday Review

Rivals Genoa and Sampdoria maintained their 100 per cent starts to the new Serie A season and moved level with Juventus at the top of the table while there were also wins for Inter, Roma and Fiorentina.

Genoa 4-1 Napoli
Genoa came from behind to extend their perfect start to the season and move to the top of the Serie A table with a 4-1 win over nine-man Napoli. It was a game which had four goals, three red cards, two penalties and enough controversy at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris and, for the home side at least, a happy ending. Genoa were forced to play over an hour with 10 men after Domenico Criscito was given his marching orders on the half-hour mark. Marek Hamsik then put Napoli ahead after 41 minutes before Hugo Campagnaro followed Criscito for an early bath in first-half stoppage time with Sergio Floccari subsequently netting from the penalty spot. A stunning Giandomenico Mesto goal edged the hosts ahead and Hernan Crespo struck the third before Salvatore Aronica was sent off for a foul inside the area with Houssine Kharja this time converting from the spot late on.

Atalanta 0-1 Sampdoria
Sampdoria maintained their 100 per cent start to the season as coach Luigi Del Neri enjoyed a winning return to his former club Atalanta. Daniele Mannini scored the only goal as Sampdoria made it three wins from three despite playing for most of the second half with 10 men following the dismissal of former Atalanta midfielder Fernando Tissone for a second yellow card. Tissone was given his marching orders after 52 minutes and it was not until 11 minutes later that Mannini claimed the only goal of the game. The Bergamo outfit remain winless in Serie A under Angelo Gregucci.

Inter 2-0 Parma
Inter warmed up for Wednesday's Champions League blockbuster against Barcelona with an ultimately comfortable Serie A victory over Parma. The Italian champions face the European champions at the San Siro, with the game given extra spice by the big-money swap deal between the clubs this summer involving Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto'o. The Catalans will know all about the damage Eto'o can inflict and, after Parma had frustrated the Nerazzurri for 70 minutes, the Cameroon striker curled in a beauty from 20 yards. Their other big summer signing Diego Milito then made sure of the points with a second a minute from time.

Siena 1-2 Roma
New Roma boss Claudio Ranieri got off to a winning start as an 89th-minute strike from substitute John Arne Riise secured a 2-1 win against 10-man Siena. The scarcely-deserved victory was the Giallorossi's first points after back-to-back defeats to start the season had left them bottom of Serie A and prompted former boss Luciano Spalletti to resign after five years in charge. Following the upheaval of the past fortnight Ranieri would have hoped for a better start than to see his side fall behind after 26 minutes when Massimo Maccarone poked home from close range. Roma struggled to impose themselves thereafter, but the match turned their way in six second-half minutes when first Phillippe Mexes equalised with 73 minutes on the clock before Siena midfielder Paul Codrea was sent off for a foul on Francesco Totti that earned him a second booking. The visitors pushed forward with their extra-man advantage and broke through for their winner a minute from the end when Riise fired in a free-kick from 25 yards.

Fiorentina 1-0 Cagliari
Fiorentina continued their strong start in Serie A as Alberto Gilardino's second-half header was enough to give them a 1-0 victory over Cagliari. The Viola were well worth the three points in a game they dominated from start to finish, but with star striker Adrian Mutu missing they struggled to convert their chances and had to settle for victory by a single goal. Indeed, so poor were Fiorentina in front of goal that they only managed two strikes on target despite attempting 16 in the match.

Udinese 4-2 Catania
Antonio Di Natale grabbed a second half hat-trick as Udinese registered their first win of the season with an emphatic 4-2 defeat of Catania. The hosts trailed 2-1 at the interval but then Italy forward Di Natale took centre stage, dragging them level 10 minutes after the restart before two more goals - the first of which came from the penalty spot - settled an entertaining encounter. Antonio Floro Flores also scored for the home side with Takayuki Morimoto and a Giuseppe Mascara penalty giving pointless Catania the lead twice.

Palermo 1-1 Bari
Igor Budan's stoppage-time goal gave Palermo a deserved share of the points against Bari in a game that was delayed for 20 minutes to allow the pitch more time to dry following a morning downpour. Riccardo Allegretti had put the visitors ahead in the second minute and it looked like that would be enough to hand them their first Serie A victory before Budan pounced right at the death. Palermo, who enjoyed a sackful of chances, were more than worthy of the point but Bari will be disappointed they did not manage to hold out for a few more moments. It is Bari's third draw in as many games while the late goal will come of some consolation to Palermo following their defeat to Fiorentina last time out.

Bologna 0-2 Chievo
Chievo picked up their first points of the season with a 2-0 victory at winless Bologna. As expected the hosts welcomed Marco Di Vaio, last season's third top-scorer in the league, but he was unable to lift his side in a match where they could not find the necessary cutting edge up front. Giampiero Pinzi and Sergio Pillissier found the net for Chievo, who had suffered defeat in their previous two outings.

SERIE A REVIEW:
[Saturday 12 September] - [Sunday 13 September]