Red-hot Martinez keeps Juve at bay

MILAN — Lautaro Martinez ensured that Inter Milan kept hold of its two-point lead at the top of Serie A as he struck in Sunday's scrappy 1-1 draw at closest rival Juventus.

Argentina forward Martinez swept home Marcus Thuram's low cross in the 33rd minute following fine play down the right flank from his strike partner, to keep second-placed Juve at arm's length in the title race.

His 15th goal in all competitions brought Inter level six minutes after Dusan Vlahovic broke a two-month scoring duck with a similar first-time finish at the Allianz Stadium in Turin.

The stalemate ended a six-match winning streak in all competitions for Inter, who is favorite to claim a 20th Scudetto ahead of AC Milan. Both Milan clubs have won Serie A 19 times.

"For how the match went we'll take the point," Inter coach Simone Inzaghi told DAZN.

"We know it's not easy to score at Juventus, but after going behind the team stayed in the match and we scored a great goal."

Inzaghi's side has come through the first of a series of tough tests, with a Champions League trip to Benfica in Portugal next up on Wednesday before it travels to Napoli on Sunday.

Inter has already reached the last 16 of Europe's top competition but is battling with Real Sociedad for top spot in Group D with the Spanish outfit traveling to Milan next month.

Title talk

Inter's hierarchy has repeatedly said Juve is favorite for the title as it has no European commitments, but beyond Vlahovic's fifth goal of the season Max Allegri's side offered very little in attack.

The away side was missing starting defenders Benjamin Pavard and Alessandro Bastoni but had few problems dealing with Juve's predictable attacks as both teams seemed keener to not lose than to try to win.

A lively opening period was followed by a miserable second half in which persistent fouls and protests to referee Marco Guida dominated, and a drab encounter petered out to a draw which seemed to satisfy both teams.

"It's a good result. We wanted to win, obviously, but they are a very tough team to play against," said Juve midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

The French international admitted that Juve was aiming for the title despite Allegri repeatedly saying his objective was merely Champions League qualification.

"Obviously we talk about winning the Scudetto in the dressing room," Rabiot added.

"We're all great players, we have to realize that... I believe we can do it."

Dybala strikes back

Paulo Dybala felt the need to silence the haters after helping fire Roma up to fifth with the decisive second goal in a 3-1 win over struggling Udinese.

Dybala rolled Roma into a 2-1 lead with nine minutes remaining at Stadio Olimpico after being brilliantly flicked through by Romelu Lukaku, with Stephan El Shaarawy then completing the scoring in the final minute.

It was Dybala's third goal of the league campaign and his first since a brace against Empoli in mid-September. He put his finger to his lips for the people who "talk too much for no reason".

"I try to give back all the love these people (Roma fans) give me," Dybala told DAZN. "I want to make history here by winning a trophy. It was a good night."

Dybala's strike helped move Roma three points from fourth-placed Napoli, who currently occupies the last Champions League spot, taking advantage of Atalanta and Fiorentina both losing on Saturday to leapfrog the pair.

Udinese is only a point above the relegation zone, with Empoli just inside the bottom three after Sassuolo's Domenico Berardi consigned it to a late 4-3 home defeat.

Defeat sent Empoli down to 18th, level on 10 points with Cagliari who moved out of the drop zone following a 1-1 draw with Monza in Sunday's early match.

Ilario Monterisi moved Frosinone up to 10th with a 92nd-minute winner against fellow promoted outfit Genoa, who sits 15th after its seventh defeat of the campaign.

AFP