FOOTBALL NEWS FROM SERIE A
Juve destroy nine-man Roma
Juventus handed nine-man Roma their first defeat of the season in a 3-0 victory in Turin to edge closer to retaining their title.
Rudi Garcia's previously-unbeaten men started off with plenty of confidence and came close more than once to taking the lead.
When Juve instead found the opener through Arturo Vidal after superb work from Carlos Tevez, it was completely against the run of play - but things soon changed after the deadlock was broken.
Having closed out the first period on top, Antonio Conte's side got off to a flier after the restart and a criminally-unmarked Leonardo Bonucci converted a smooth Andrea Pirlo free-kick delivery minutes into the second 45 to double the lead.
Things went completely down the drain from there for the capital club as Daniele De Rossi saw red for a dangerous two-footed lunge on Giorgio Chiellini while the subsequent free-kick led to Leandro Castan following his team-mate into the changing room for denying ex-Roma striker Mirko Vucinic a clear goal with his hand.
Vucinic would get the green light from regular penalty taker Vidal to smash home the ensuing spot kick and get on the scoresheet after all, in what is only his second goal of the campaign.
With their unbeaten record over, the gap between themselves and the league leaders stretched to eight points and Adem Ljajic joining De Rossi and Castan on the suspension list after a needless late booking, the defeat could do more damage to Roma's season than meets the eye.
Serie A titlists Juve, meanwhile, look well on course for a three-peat after notching a 10th straight win against their nearest rivals to the throne.
With more than half the season to play, the bianconeri have 49 points from 18 games with Roma on 41.
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Juventus handed nine-man Roma their first defeat of the season in a 3-0 victory in Turin to edge closer to retaining their title.Rudi Garcia's previously-unbeaten men started off with plenty of confidence and came close more than once to taking the lead.
When Juve instead found the opener through Arturo Vidal after superb work from Carlos Tevez, it was completely against the run of play - but things soon changed after the deadlock was broken.
Having closed out the first period on top, Antonio Conte's side got off to a flier after the restart and a criminally-unmarked Leonardo Bonucci converted a smooth Andrea Pirlo free-kick delivery minutes into the second 45 to double the lead.
Things went completely down the drain from there for the capital club as Daniele De Rossi saw red for a dangerous two-footed lunge on Giorgio Chiellini while the subsequent free-kick led to Leandro Castan following his team-mate into the changing room for denying ex-Roma striker Mirko Vucinic a clear goal with his hand.
Vucinic would get the green light from regular penalty taker Vidal to smash home the ensuing spot kick and get on the scoresheet after all, in what is only his second goal of the campaign.
With their unbeaten record over, the gap between themselves and the league leaders stretched to eight points and Adem Ljajic joining De Rossi and Castan on the suspension list after a needless late booking, the defeat could do more damage to Roma's season than meets the eye.
Serie A titlists Juve, meanwhile, look well on course for a three-peat after notching a 10th straight win against their nearest rivals to the throne.
With more than half the season to play, the bianconeri have 49 points from 18 games with Roma on 41.