Historic day of defeats for big teams in Serie A; Monza wins

Juventus players walk off the pitch after the Serie A soccer match between Monza and Juventus, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. Monza won 1-0. (Claudio Grassi/LaPresse via AP)

MILAN (AP) — Two of the top Serie A coaches are already feeling the pressure after Juventus and Inter Milan lost on a miserable day for some of the traditional greats of Italian soccer.

It was the first time since February 1955 that Juventus, Inter, AC Milan and Roma have lost on the same day in the Italian league.

Promoted Monza probably didn’t expect its first-ever Serie A win to come against Juventus but it managed to beat Massimiliano Allegri’s side 1-0. Juventus played most of the match with 10 men following Ángel Di María’s red card.

Di María posted an apology on Instagram.

“I wish to apologize to everyone for that inappropriate reaction I had on the pitch,” he wrote. “Having left the team a man down in such a difficult moment of the season made us lose the game.

Juventus' Angel Di Maria goes for the ball during the Serie A soccer match between Monza and Juventus, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (Claudio Grassi/LaPresse via AP)

“It is purely my fault that we lost. I am so very sorry. I am a professional, but also a human being who makes mistakes and can recognize them.”

Simone Inzaghi is also under pressure after his Inter side was earlier beaten 3-1 at Udinese, for its third league loss of the season in seven rounds.

Inter Milan's coach Simone Inzaghi reacts during the Serie A soccer match between Udinese and Inter, at the Friuli stadium in Udine, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (Andrea Bressanutti/LaPresse via AP)

Napoli remained top of Serie A after inflicting a first defeat of the season on defending champion Milan. Napoli won 2-1 and is one of the two remaining unbeaten teams along with Atalanta, which won 1-0 at Roma.

Allegri was already under pressure after Juventus lost its second straight Champions League match midweek. It was unbeaten in Serie A but had only won two of its opening six matches.

The Bianconeri were perhaps expecting an easier match at Monza, which was winless and had conceded 14 goals in its six games.

However, Juventus had barely a sight of goal and its chances of getting a morale-boosting win diminished when Di María was needlessly sent off in the 40th minute for elbowing Monza defender Armando Izzo forcefully in the chest.

And the home fans went wild in the 74th when Patrick Ciurria whipped in a cross from the right and Christian Lund Gytkjær volleyed in at the near post.

Monza is owned by former Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi.

POOR DEBUT

United States defender Sergiño Dest had a Serie A debut to forget for Milan as he gave away the spot kick that set Napoli on its way to winning at San Siro.

Dest had featured in both Champions League matches for Milan but was playing his first game in the Italian league. He fouled Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for the penalty which Matteo Politano converted in the 55th minute.

Olivier Giroud, who had hit the crossbar in the first half, leveled in the 69th but Giovanni Simeone headed in the winner 12 minutes from time.

Pierre Kalulu also hit the crossbar late on for Milan, which was without the suspended Rafael Leão.

GIANTKILLERS

Udinese continued its surprising start to the season as it recorded its fifth straight win to lift it to third in the standings.

Nicolò Barella curled in a fantastic free kick in the fifth minute to get Inter off to the perfect start but Udinese leveled in the 22nd when Roberto Pereyra’s free kick went in off Milan Škriniar for an own-goal.

Udinese hit the post before Jaka Bijol headed in a corner with three minutes remaining and Tolgay Arslan made sure of the points in stoppage time with a diving header.

MOURINHO TO MISS INTER

Roma coach José Mourinho will miss the match against his former club Inter after being sent off in the defeat to Atalanta.

Roma's head coach Jose Mourinho is forced to leave the field after received a red card by the referee Daniele Chiffi during a Serie A soccer match between Roma and Atalanta, at the Olimpic stadium in Rome, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Mourinho was shown a red card in the 57th minute after going onto the field to remonstrate with referee Daniele Chiffi who had awarded a free kick to Atalanta, rather than what Mourinho thought should have been a penalty for his side. Mourinho became even more infuriated and had to be held back by a member of his staff.

Roma’s next match is at Inter after the international break. Mourinho steered Inter to the treble of the Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup in 2010.

Teenage defender Giorgio Scalvini scored the only goal of the match at the Stadio Olimpico, firing into the bottom right corner in the 35th minute.