Carlos Tevez converted two penalties for Juventus in a 3-2 home win over Roma to notch his sixth goal from as many games as the champions went alone at the top in the Italian Serie A.

Juve’s winner came from defender Leonardo Bonucci, who volleyed a clearance into the low left corner four minutes from time to push the Turin side on a maximum 18 points and leaving Roma second on 15.

The Bianconeri started fast at the brimming Juventus Stadium where Tevez converted a penalty on 27 minutes after Douglas Maicon blocked with an arm a free-kick from the returning Andrea Pirlo. Roma’s French coach Rudi Garcia was dismissed over his protests, but the visitors equalized five minutes later from another spot-kick awarded for an off-the-ball foul by Stephan Lichtsteiner on Francesco Totti.

The veteran captain rose to convert, beating Gianluigi Buffon for the first time this season.

The international keeper was stunned again when his team-mates defended poorly on a Gervinho break, allowing the Ivory Coast ace to set up Juan Iturbe for a low shot into the left corner. The Bianconeri found themselves behind despite dominating, but Tevez converted again from the spot before half-time following Miralem Pjanic’s foul on Paul Pogba.

Pjanic fired wide from close range on the hour and Radja Nainggolan had a drive deflected, while Juve substitute Alvaro Morata nodded against the bar with eight minutes left.

Morata and Roma defender Kostas Manolas were red-carded for clashing in midfield two minutes from time. “It was certainly an important goal,” Bonucci said. “It was worth three important points. We played against a great Roma, but we showed that we are the strongest. “After Iturbe’s goal we responded as a great team. We made a mistake and they punished us. We must improve, but we showed to be the best in Italy.”

In earlier action, a winning goal on the break from Manolo Gabbiadini secured a 1-0 win for Sampdoria over Atalanta to move into third place.

The striker scored on 35 minutes off a long ball from Pedro Obiang as unbeaten Samp moved to 14 points after a fourth win from six games.

Trailing on 13 are Udinese, who were held to a 1-1 home draw as promoted Cesena levelled with a penalty in injury time.

Lazio advanced to nine after edging Sassuolo 3-2 with Stefano Mauri, Filip Djordjevic and Antonio Candreva on target, while Domenico Berardi netted a brace for the visitors. Lazio’s Lorik Cana was shown a red card five minutes into the second half for a last-man foul that led to a penalty converted by Berardi, and Sassuolo’s Federico Peluso was also sent off just after the hour.

Genoa had defender Facundo Roncaglia sent off on 56 minutes before hitting a late winner from Alessandro Matri in a 2-1 defeat of Parma, who sit at the bottom on three points with Sassuolo and Palermo.

Empoli beat fellow promoted side Palermo 3-0 with goals from Massimo Maccarone, Lorenzo Tonelli, and Manuel Pucciarelli to clinch a first win of the season and move to six points. On Saturday, AC Milan beat Chievo 2-0 and Verona edged Cagliari 1-0. Fiorentina v Inter Milan and Napoli v Torino played late yesterday.

Related Story