Serie A: Genoa shocks table-toppers Juventus with 3–1 win
MILAN (AP) — More than 16 years after his father scuppered Juventus' title hopes, Giovanni Simeone has halted the Bianconeri's charge to a sixth successive Serie A title.
Simeone scored two goals to set Genoa on its way to a surprise 3-1 win over Juventus on Sunday.
Juventus remained four points ahead of AC Milan, which won 4-1 at Empoli on Saturday. Roma can move back level with Milan with a win at home to relegation-threatened Pescara later.
"There are no excuses for how we played in the first half hour," Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. "Today it was right to get a good hiding, it will serve us well for the rest of the season."
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It was a far cry from Juventus' midweek performance when it won 3-1 at Sevilla to secure qualification to the Champions League knockout stages.
"We have lost three matches, all of them after Champions League games, maybe unconsciously the players relaxed a bit," Allegri said. "It shouldn't happen but it happens and we have to take the positives: Get our feet back on the ground and understand that the season is still long and nothing should be taken for granted."
Current Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone fired Lazio to a 1-0 win against Juventus in April 2000, with the capital club going on to finish a point above the Bianconeri to win the title.
And 6,084 days later his son Giovanni got Genoa off to the best start with his first goal in the third minute. An error from Leonardo Bonucci sparked a Genoa counter and, although Gianluigi Buffon made three reaction saves, he couldn't prevent Simeone tapping in from close range.
Simeone doubled his tally 10 minutes later with a diving header to Darko Lazovic's cross.
Incredibly Juventus was 3-0 down on the half hour. A corner came to Luca Rigoni and Alex Sandro tried to keep out his volley but only succeeded in turning it into his own net.
Juventus hadn't conceded three goals in the first half of a Serie A match for more than 11 years.
Matters grew worse for Allegri's team as Bonucci limped off with a suspected hamstring injury moments later and was replaced by Daniele Rugani. Juventus was already without its two other regular defenders, with Andrea Barzagli injured and Giorgio Chiellini only fit for a place on the bench.
Gonzalo Higuain came on for Stephan Lichtsteiner in the 53rd but couldn't help Juventus turn the match around and any hope it had of doing so diminished in the 75th when Dani Alves was stretchered off and it was forced to play the final 15 minutes with 10 men because Allegri had used up his three substitutions.
Miralem Pjanic scored a consolation for Juventus eight minutes from time, curling a free kick into the top left corner.
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PALERMO 0 LAZIO 1
Palermo fell to a record seventh successive Serie A defeat as Lazio continued its push for a Champions League place.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic scored the only goal of the match, shortly after the half hour, tapping in after Dusan Basta pulled the ball back from the byline.
Ciro Immobile had earlier hit the crossbar.
Palermo defender Giancarlo Gonzalez was sent off in the final minutes for hauling down Cristiano Lombardi.
Lazio moved third, two points above Roma, which it plays next week in the capital derby.
Palermo, which has lost all seven home games this season, slipped to bottom place, four points from safety.
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OTHER MATCHES
Atalanta remained level with Lazio after easing to a 2-0 win at Bologna.
Andrea Masiello fired Atalanta in front in the 15th and Jasmin Kurtic headed in a corner for the second in the 68th.
At the other end of the table Crotone drew 1-1 against Sampdoria to move off bottom spot and Cagliari beat Udinese 2-1.
Napoli hosts Sassuolo on Monday, when Inter Milan entertains Fiorentina.
