Juventus beat Napoli to pull clear

Two late goals in two minutes from substitutes Martín Cáceres and Paul Pogba earned Juventus a 2-0 victory against SSC Napoli in Turin.

Anticipation was high for this contest between the top two sides in Serie A. They had recently played in last term's Coppa Italia final and this season's Supercoppa, winning one each, and headed into this encounter level on points and unbeaten in the league after seven matches.

It looked like staying that way, too. Both goalkeepers had been tested and Sebastian Giovinco had missed a penalty, but with ten minutes left neither side had found a breakthrough. Then La Vecchia Signora exploded into life, as first an unmarked Cáceres nodded in a corner, then Pogba sealed the win with a neat volley from the edge of the box. The Bianconeri move three points clear atop the standings.

Third-placed S.S. Lazio exploited Napoli's defeat and moved within a point of the Partenopei after a thrilling 3-2 defeat of AC Milan in Rome. Brazilian Hernanes put Lazio ahead, and after Antonio Candreva and Miroslav Klose goals either side of half-time, the outcome seemed certain.

However, Nigel De Jong prodded Milan back into the game, before Stephan El Shaarawy hit his fifth league goal this term to provide an exciting climax. Vladimir Petković's charges held on, however, to condemn the Rossoneri to their fifth defeat in eight Serie A games.