Serie A wrap: Juventus on top as Udinese slip

Juventus returned to the top of Serie A with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Palermo in Turin on Sunday as Udinese slipped up.

Simone Pepe opened the scoring with a first-half header before Alessandro Matri fired home early in the second half to double the home side’s advantage. Claudio Marchisio sealed victory for Antonio Conte’s men with a 65th-minute strike.

Juventus began brightly and should have taken the lead just three minutes in, but Giorgio Chiellini headed over from close range after being picked out by Andrea Pirlo.

Marchisio then fired wide from the edge of the box after Alexandros Tzorvas had flapped at a cross, before the hosts deservedly made the breakthrough on 20 minutes. Chiellini made amends for his poor miss by producing a wonderfully precise cross from the left for Pepe to head home.

Meanwhile, Udinese surrendered their joint-lead at the top of the league with a 2-0 loss at Parma.

Sebastian Giovinco recovered from a muscle problem to play for Parma and it was his ball that found Jonathan Biabiany for the opener just before the hour mark.

Biabiany was left totally free in the six-yard box to nod home from a corner before the duo’s roles were reversed some 18 minutes later – Biabiany won a penalty after he was tripped by Dusan Basta and Giovinco sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0 to Parma.

A late Marco Parolo screamer gave Cesena a shock 1-0 victory away to local rivals Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna derby – their first win of the season.

Bologna had a great chance after nine minutes when Adrian Mutu lost possession, but Gaston Ramirez’s shot was charged down with Marco Di Vaio offside from the rebound.

Chievo shocked Catania with a 2-1 win at Stadio Massimino thanks to Sergio Pellissier’s first-half penalty and Paolo Sammarco’s tap-in in the 73rd minute.

Genoa snatched a late goal through Miguel Veloso to pick up all three points in a 1-0 win over Novara. The win was all the more sweet with the home side playing the entire second half with 10 men after Luca Antonelli was sent off.

Siena twice fought back to snatch a draw in a four-goal thriller with Atalanta.

German Denis scored from the spot 15 minutes in and restored Atalanta’s lead eight minutes into the second half with his second after Gaetano D’Agostino had equalised for Siena.

Alessandro Gazzi was quickest to react by tapping in a loose ball from four yards four minutes from time to rescue a point for Siena.

More to follow