Napoli and Inter at the top but Milan and Juventus slow down
We witnessed the premier Italian outfits lighting up the second matchday of the 2022-23 Serie A season. Serie A delivered an action-packed footballing saga where the prestige of many elite sides was on the line. Hence, ‘Parimatch News’ brings you a detailed roundup overview of all Serie A fixtures of the Matchday. 2.
Torino 0-0 Lazio
A frustrating goalless draw for the capital-based outfit against Torino in an away game at Olimpico di Torino. Interestingly, only three combined shots on target were placed by both teams throughout the gameplay as we witnessed a defensive masterclass by both of them.
The current form of the Biancocelesti side suggests that they will have to work harder to turn up for their upcoming fixture against Inter Milan on Matchday 3.
Udinese 0-0 Salernitana
Then the Serie A caravan moved to witness another goalless saga but this time between two combatants who tested sore results in the previous fixtures. The hosts Udinese held the visitors to a 0-0 settlement at the Dacia Arena despite going down to 10 men right before the half-time whistle. The Salerno-based club came very close to having breakthroughs multiple times but still ended up earning their first Serie A match-point of the 21st century.
Inter Milan 3-0 Spezia Calcio
The dynamic duo lighting it up for Inter
The Nerazzurri side continued their initial triumphant run in the 2022-23 Scudetto race by winning the second fixture on the trot. They faced Spezia who were confident after their opening win against Empoli and trampled down the Whites in their first home fixture at San Siro. Brilliant coordination by Inter’s strike-duo handed them a 35th-minute lead as the goal was scored by Lautaro Martinez while Romelu Lukaku bagged an assist.
The strike of Turkish attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu from the edge of the box doubled the lead in the 55th minute for the Milan Blues. Then Joaquin Correa joined the party minutes after he arrived at the pitch as a substitute and scored his first goal in Inter colours. Inter did not face many difficulties in their first two fixtures but the next one will be a tough one as they will be touring the capital city to face SS Lazio this Saturday.
Sassuolo 1-0 Lecce
The Neroverdi boys from the city of Sassuolo are back on the winning track after ending up on the losing side in their opening fixture. Sassuolo edged past the Lecce side on a 1-0 scoreline to register their first win of the 2022-23 domestic league campaign.
The winning goal of the game came from Domenico Berardi who also became only the second Italian player to score at least a goal in straight 10 Serie A seasons.
Napoli 4-0 Monza
The Parthenopeans cruised past AC Monza to jump right at the pole position of current Serie A standings. The newly promoted Lombardy-based outfit couldn’t stand upon the wrath of Gli Azzurri and went on to concede four goals against them.
After scoring a brace in this fixture, the 21-year-old Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has now bagged three goals from two appearances while Victor Osimhen and Kim Min-jae also got their names on the scoresheet
Empoli 0-0 Fiorentina
The Viola side which emerged victorious in a five-goal thriller in the previous fixture couldn’t even produce a single goal-scorer this time. Meanwhile, Empoli’s goal drought also continues as the throbbing encounter at Stadio Carlo Castellani ended in a goalless settlement.
It was a frustrating night for Fiorentina as they couldn’t score the breakthrough goal despite seizing 64% of ball possession and having a numbers advantage owing to Empoli defender Sebastino Ruperto’s red card.
Bologna 1-1 Hellas Verona
It was all squared up at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium as the home team played a 1-1 draw with Hellas Verona FC on Monday. The opening goal of the match was scored by the Bologna striker Marko Arnautović who fetched his second goal of the season. Then the 43rd-minute strike from the Frenchman Thomas Henry levelled it up for the visitors just a couple of minutes before the first-half whistle.
Atalanta 1-1 AC Milan
Scenes after the stunning strike of Ismael Bennacer
The reigning and defending champions of the Italian top-flight league were forced to drop points by the brave hearts of Atalanta at Gewiss Stadium. A high-intensity brawl between two elite Italian sides resulted in a 1-1 settlement as the Milan Reds have sustained further their unbeaten streak to 18 games. Atalanta gaffer Gian Piero Gasperini kept his defense compact till the full-time whistle which hassled the attacking unit of Milan.
Amidst the links with Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur, the Ukrainian midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi opened the scoreline for the Black and Blues. Then the tiny lead was demolished by a 68th-minute screamer from Ismael Bennacer with the assistance of the substitute Alexis Saelemaekers. The Rossoneri side will now be heading to San Siro to host Bologna and get back to winning ways.
Roma 1-0 US Cremonese
The inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League champions once again emerged victorious by scoring just a single. The winning goal for the Giallorossi side was scored by the English central defender Chris Smalling in the 65th minute of the gameplay. Roma’s Portuguese custodian Rui Patricio has now spent his initial 180 minutes of the season without conceding a single goal.
Sampdoria 0-0 Juventus
Juventus kick-started their Scudetto hunt with a thumping home victory over Sampdoria in the opening game but couldn’t replicate it in the following one. A baffling outcome for the gaffer Massimiliano Allegri and his Bianconeri boys as they were forced to share match-points with the Blucerchiati. The fans witnessed a good contest of football between these two combatants but unfortunately, no one could score the breakthrough goal.
The Genoa-based club released 10 shots aiming toward the opponent’s goal however, only one of them ended up on target. On the other hand, the old lady delivered four unsuccessful shots on target and attempted 438 passes at an accuracy rate of 86%. The 29-year-old Juve goalkeeper Mattia Perin has left a lit impression after keeping clean sheets in the first two appearances of the season.