Atalanta at risk of falling out of top 4 after loss to Lazio
MILAN (AP) — Atalanta’s title chances have already effectively slipped away and now it could be at risk of dropping out of the top four of Serie A.
Third-placed Atalanta lost 1-0 at home to Lazio on Sunday for its third straight league defeat.
That has seen Gian Piero Gasperini’s team fall 10 points behind league leader Inter Milan and left it looking nervously over its shoulder.
Atalanta is only two points ahead of Juventus after the Bianconeri drew 1-1 at Roma. Bologna can leapfrog Atalanta if it beats second-placed Napoli on Monday.
Lazio, which came into the match without a victory in Serie A in more than a month, moved to within three points of Atalanta.
Both teams were lacking in confidence and that perhaps explained the cagey first half.
Atalanta appeared reinvigorated after the break and had two quick chances, with Lazio goalkeeper Chrīstos Mandas making an extraordinary save to deny the league’s top scorer Mateo Retegui at point-blank range.
However, it was Lazio which broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second half, through halftime substitute Gustav Isaksen.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru nodded a long ball over the top down to Isaksen, who scuffed a shot past Marco Carnesecchi.
Roma’s winning streak ends
Roma’s streak of seven straight league wins — with only one goal conceded — was ended by Juventus, in Igor Tudor’s second match in charge of the Bianconeri.
It was an aggressive start from Juventus, and Roma goalkeeper Mile Svilar had to palm Nico González’s header onto his right post.
Juventus took the lead shortly before halftime. Khéphren Thuram’s cross was cleared by Zeki Çelik but only to the edge of the area where Manuel Locatelli volleyed it into the ground to bounce into the bottom left corner.
It was the first goal Roma had conceded in Serie A since March 2.
Claudio Ranieri’s halftime substitution had an immediate impact as Eldor Shomurodov leveled three minutes after coming on, heading in the rebound from three yards after Michele Di Gregorio had parried Evan N’Dicka’s attempt.
Roma moved to within three points of the top four.
Relegation fights
Lecce was loudly jeered by its home fans despite rallying to draw 1-1 against Venezia in a relegation dogfight and ending a run of five straight defeats.
Federico Baschirotto headed in the equalizer for Lecce in the 65th after home defender Antonino Gallo hand bundled into his own net at the start of the second half.
Lecce remained in the last position of safety in Serie A, two points above Empoli which drew 0-0 against Cagliari.
Venezia was in penultimate position, five points below Lecce.
Torino forward Che Adams had a penalty saved in a 1-1 draw at home to Hellas Verona.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
By DANIELLA MATAR
AP Sports Writer
