Italian champions, Juventus continue to put pressure on Serie A leaders, SSC Napoli, after a dramatic late win against Lazio. Paulo Dybala scored in added time to earn Juve a very hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Stadio Olimpico.
— JuventusFC
Take a bow, @PauDybala_JR
#FinoAllaFine #LazioJuve pic.twitter.com/V5Ib9yi1QS
(@juventusfcen) March 3, 2018
It was their tenth consecutive win in the league, and moves them a point closer to Napoli, who collapsed at home to AS Roma later on.
Both teams canceled each other in what was a very cagey encounter between not just the league’s best two highest scoring sides, but second and third on the log.
The game seemed to be heading for a rather disappointing goalless affair, with both sides unable to break each other down for a breakthrough.
However, with few seconds left of the three added minutes, Dybala, just returning from an injury layoff, latched on to a pass from center back, Daniele Rugani to score a dramatic late winner, breaking the hearts of the home fans, who thought their side had done about enough to earn a point.
The win sees the Bianconeri keep their hopes of a seventh successive Serie A title alive, as they are now just a point adrift of Napoli.
ROMA BLOW SERIE A TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN
Edin Dzeko scored a brace as AS Roma blew open the race for the Serie A title, following their return to winning ways with an excellent comeback win at San Paolo.
With Juventus’ late winner against Lazio earlier on, the pressure was on Napoli to respond.
FT | #NapoliRoma
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) March 3, 2018-
Victory! Goals from Cengiz Under, Edin Dzeko (twice) and Diego Perotti clinch a memorable win at the Stadio San Paolo! DAJE ROMA! #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/8NqwF6MbAt
And they got off to a flying start when Lorenzo Insigne put them 1-0 ahead, after getting at the end of a Mario Rui cross inside the first six minutes.
However, that goal only lasted few seconds as Cengiz Under equalised almost immediately for the visitors, before Dzeko doubled their advantage just before the half-hour mark.
A dramatic turn around from Eusebio Francesco’s side, who went into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
After the break, Roma’s comeback was completed when Dzeko grabbed his second of the game with an excellent left footed effort to put his side 3-1 up.
The away side wasn’t done, as six minutes after Dzeko’s second, Diego Perotti added a fourth for Roma to all but seal the win and three points.
Dries Mertens pulled one back for Napoli to bring scores to 4-2 in added time, but it was rather too late for Maurizio Sarri’s side to mount a comeback of their own.
With the result, Napoli remain top, but are now just a point above defending champions, Juventus, who could replace them at the summit if they win their game in hand.
Meanwhile, Roma are 16points further behind, but leapfrog Lazio into third.
Full Results
SPAL 1-0 Bologna
Lazio 0-1 Juventus
Napoli 2-4 Roma
