MILAN (AP) — Jonathan David rewarded coach Luciano Spalletti’s confidence with a goal and an assist to help Juventus to a 3-0 victory at Sassuolo in Serie A on Tuesday.
That allowed fourth-place Juventus to stay level on points with Roma after the capital team won 2-0 in relegation-threatened Lecce. Juventus and Roma are three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan, although the three teams above have played two fewer games.
David had been criticized after his penalty was saved in the 1-1 home draw with Lecce on Saturday.
However, he kept his place in the starting XI and was crucial in securing the result in the second half after an own goal by Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic was the only thing separating the teams at half-time.
David set up Fabio Miretti for Juve’s second, in the 62nd minute, and the Canadian striker scored a minute later. The entire team ran to celebrate with David, including the substitutes and Spalletti.
Rome recovers
Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini had been left furious by the refereeing decisions in Saturday’s loss to his former team Atalanta.
However, Roma recovered in Lecce and took the lead in the 14th minute with a well-crafted move, which culminated in Evan Ferguson controlling a pass from Argentine Paulo Dybala and finishing into the bottom left corner.
Roma doubled their lead in the 71st when a corner fell to Niccolò Pisilli, whose shot into the corner was deflected by Artem Dovbyk from close range.
Dovbyk limped off at the end after stopping clutching the back of his leg.
Lecce remained in 16th place.
Penalty saved
Como dispatched Pisa in the second half to win 3-0 and stay just three points off the Champions League places.
Máximo Perrone broke the deadlock in the 68th and Anastasios Douvikas doubled Como’s lead eight minutes later, before Jean Butez saved M’Bala Nzola’s penalty to prevent Pisa from getting back into the game.
Douvikas did succeed from the penalty spot in injury time to put the game away for Como.
Pisa is three points away from safety.
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