Paulo Dybala left the field in tears shortly after scoring to set Juventus on the way to a 3-2 victory over Sampdoria in Serie A. (More Football News)
Dybala has endured a number of muscular injuries over the years and it appeared as if he had suffered another one after pulling up suddenly. The Juventus forward was able to walk off and was consoled by his teammates as he did so.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri confirmed after the match that Dybala and Álvaro Morata will miss Wednesday’s Champions League match against Chelsea — and Saturday's Serie A derby against Torino — but that he hopes to have both forwards back after the international break.
Leonardo Bonucci converted a penalty and Manuel Locatelli scored his first goal for Juventus. Maya Yoshida and Antonio Candreva kept the match alive for Sampdoria.
It was an unconvincing win for Juve and only its second of the season. It lifted the Bianconeri up to ninth, 10 points behind Serie A leader Napoli which beat Cagliari 2-0. In Turin, Juventus was keen to build on its first win midweek and it started brightly.
Dybala gave it the lead with a delightful strike into the bottom right corner from outside the area in the 10th minute and the Bianconeri could have extended their lead before the 27-year-old was forced off after pulling up injured, clutching the back of his leg.
The tempo fell after that but Bonucci drilled a powerful penalty into the bottom left corner two minutes from the break to double Juve’s lead after a handball from Nicola Murru. It was a first penalty in Serie A for Bonucci, who has taken spot kicks for Italy.
But Sampdoria pulled one back a minute later. Mattia Perin did well to parry Fabio Quagliarella’s effort but the resulting corner was taken short and Candreva whipped in a cross for Yoshida to head into the far side of the net.
Juventus restored its two-goal advantage 12 minutes into the second half. Locatelli started and finished the move after great work by Federico Chiesa and Dejan Kulusevski. Candreva scored for Samp seven minutes from time to set up a nervy finale for Juve.
DERBY DEFEAT
José Mourinho’s first derby as Roma coach ended in a 3-2 defeat at Lazio and, after complaining about the referee and VAR in television interviews, Mourinho reportedly stormed out of the post-match news conference.
In contrast, it was all smiles for opposition coach Maurizio Sarri as he held up Lazio's mascot eagle to fans in celebration at the final whistle.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic bravely put Lazio ahead in the 10th minute as he headed in Felipe Anderson’s cross but was clattered by Roma goalkeeper Rui Patrício. His teammates immediately called over the medics but the Lazio midfielder was able to get gingerly to his feet and continue.
Former Roma forward Pedro doubled Lazio’s lead nine minutes later following a swift counterattack. Ciro Immobile raced down the left flank from inside his own half and rolled the ball across the outside of the area for Pedro to drill into the bottom right corner.
Nicolò Zaniolo headed a corner onto the post in the 27th but Roma did pull one back in similar fashion four minutes before the break as a glancing header from Ibañez flew into the far top corner. Immobile also set up Lazio’s third goal in the 63rd as he drew two defenders, giving Felipe Anderson space to score.
Jordan Veretout reduced the deficit from the penalty spot six minutes later after Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro was judged to have fouled Zaniolo. Zaniolo almost leveled shortly after with a fantastic strike but Lazio goalkeeper Pepe Reina palmed it away with an equally impressive save. Lazio moved into sixth, a point behind Roma in fourth.
OSIMHEN AGAIN
Victor Osimhen scored again for Napoli to take his tally to six goals in his last four matches. Osimhen fired in the opener in the 11th minute and also won the second-half penalty that Lorenzo Insigne converted as Napoli maintained its perfect start in Serie A.
The 22-year-old Osimhen was signed from Lille last year by Napoli for a club-record transfer fee of 70 million euros ($82 million).
