Vlahović scores again as Juventus beats Spezia 2-0

MILAN (AP) — Dušan Vlahović continued his impressive start to the season as he set Juventus on its way to a 2-0 win over Spezia in Serie A on Wednesday.

Vlahović scored in the ninth minute for his fourth goal in as many matches. New signing Arkadiusz Milik sealed the result in stoppage time with his first goal for the club.

“Vlahović battled all match, he scored an extraordinary goal and he worked well,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “He has room for improvement but I think he had his best performance ever tonight.

“He still has a lot of things to learn. Vlahović has improved, but he could have score more than one goal and I think he will manage to get to the top when he finds more control and serenity.”

The Bianconeri were looking to get back to winning ways after two successive draws in Serie A.

Vlahović had given his side the lead with a free kick early on in the 1-1 draw against Roma at the weekend and he did so again at the Allianz Stadium in very similar fashion as he curled into the top right corner.

There was a worrying sight for Juventus just before halftime as goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was stretchered off after falling heavily on his ankle. He had only returned to action at the weekend after missing the start of the season through injury.

Vlahović almost doubled his tally midway through the second half but Spezia goalkeeper Bartłomiej Drągowski managed to claw it off the line.

Milik made sure of the points when he controlled Fabio Miretti’s cross with his back to goal before turning and firing past Drągowski.

NAPOLI HELD

Lorenzo Colombo had a penalty saved but netted the equalizer as newly promoted Lecce surprisingly held Napoli to a 1-1 draw.

It was a second straight draw for Napoli which had opened the season with two comprehensive wins.

Serie B champion Lecce almost took a surprise lead in the 25th minute after it was awarded a penalty for a foul by Tanguy Ndombele on Federico Di Francesco.

Colombo tucked away the spot kick but the referee hadn’t blown his whistle yet so it had to be retaken and Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret saved the second attempt.

Eljif Elmas sidefooted home the opener for Napoli shortly afterward but Colombo unleashed a rocket into the top right corner from more than 20 yards out, just six minutes after his penalty error, to level for Lecce.

SAMP SNATCHES POINT

Sampdoria finally scored its first goal of the season as Manolo Gabbiadini netted in injury time to secure a 1-1 draw against Lazio.

Ciro Immobile’s first-half goal had looked set to hand Lazio another win, but the draw prevented the unbeaten Rome club from moving level at the top of the table with city rival Roma after four rounds.

Lazio was looking to build on an impressive 3-1 victory against Inter Milan last weekend.

Maurizio Sarri’s side took the lead in the 21st minute with a fantastic assist from Sergej Milinković-Savić, who sent Immobile clear with the cheekiest of backheel flicks and the forward coolly slotted home.

Immobile almost doubled his tally moments later but his follow-up shot hit the left post after Mattia Zaccagni had his effort parried by Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero.

Samp thought it should have had a penalty shortly afterwards when Fabio Quagliarella went down in the area under pressure from Patric and Adam Marušić. Referee Gianluca Aureliano waved play on before then reviewing the incident on the pitchside monitor.

He stuck to his original decision, much to the dismay of the home team and Aurelio went to talk to Quagliarella as well as Sampdoria coach Marco Giampaolo.

Just as it looked as if Samp was about to end the match goalless again, Tomás Rincón threaded the ball through to Gabbiadini, who fired into the bottom right corner.

Elsewhere, Fiorentina fell to a 1-0 loss at Udinese for its first defeat of the season. Empoli and Hellas Verona drew 1-1 to leave both sides still searching for their first wins of the season.