Serie A Roundup, Matchday 31
The 31st set of matches in the 2023/24 Serie A season showcased thrilling games, surprising results, and standout performances. Here’s a summary of the weekend’s matches.
Salernitana 2-2 Sassuolo
Sassuolo, who are currently struggling in Serie A, missed an opportunity to climb out of the relegation zone when they blew a two-goal lead against Salernitana, who are at the bottom of the table. Sassuolo’s winless streak on the road now stands at 11 matches. Despite dominating possession in the final stages, the hosts struggled to create scoring opportunities until the 91st minute. Giulio Maggiore managed to score off a low cross from Alessandro Zanoli, salvaging a point for his team that seemed unlikely earlier. This 2-2 draw is the second between the two teams this season, leaving Davide Ballardini’s squad in the bottom three.
AC Milan 3-0 Lecce
AC Milan extended their hold on second place in Serie A by clinching their seventh consecutive win in all competitions with a convincing 3-0 victory over Lecce. The Rossoneri are now on a 12-match unbeaten streak against Lecce. Milan comfortably secured the win in the last 30 minutes of the game, facing minimal threat from their opponents. They are now focusing on their upcoming UEFA Europa League quarter-final first-leg match against rivals Roma. On the other hand, Lecce, who have only managed one win in their last eight league matches, are keeping an eye on the teams below them in the standings as they are just 3 points above the relegation zone.
AS Roma 1-0 Lazio
Gianluca Mancini’s goal with a header helped Roma secure a 1-0 victory over Lazio in the Serie A match on Saturday, putting an end to Roma’s four-game winless streak in the Derby della Capitale. The match saw the typical intense rivalry between the two teams, with heated confrontations occurring. Despite this, Roma maintained their composure to clinch the win, extending their unbeaten streak in Serie A to seven games and narrowing the gap with fourth-placed Bologna to just 3 points. Additionally, Roma’s win handed Lazio’s manager Igor Tudor his first league defeat, leaving Lazio trailing their in-form rivals by nine points.
Empoli 3-2 Torino
Empoli secured a crucial victory in Serie A, moving up the standings and out of the relegation zone after a thrilling match against Torino. M’Baye Niang scored a late winning goal at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, helping the hosts claim their first home win as underdogs in the league. In a dramatic finish, Nicola’s team regained the lead in the final moments, with Raoul Bellanova’s mistake allowing Niang to score easily and seal the victory, much to the delight of the home fans.
Frosinone 0-0 Bologna
Bologna extended their lead over Roma to three points in the battle for a spot in the UEFA Champions League next season. However, this came after a disappointing 0-0 draw against Frosinone, who are struggling near the relegation zone with 10 winless matches. Bologna’s winless streak in away head-to-head matches with Frosinone now stands at six, while Frosinone are one point away from safety.
Monza 2-4 Napoli
Napoli showed great ruthlessness as they came from behind at halftime to defeat AC Monza 4-2 in an exciting Serie A match at the Stadio Brianteo. Despite not keeping a clean sheet in their last 10 league games, Napoli managed to extend their lead with a goal from Raspadori after a quick counterattack. The match ended with Napoli securing a memorable victory, boosting their chances of qualifying for European competition for the 16th consecutive year.
Verona 1-2 Genoa
Genoa secured their second win in 24 visits to the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi by coming from behind to defeat Hellas Verona 2-1. Despite Verona’s growing desperation and unpredictability, Genoa managed to hold on for their first victory in five matches. Verona, on the other hand, are still deeply embroiled in the intense relegation battle at the end of the season, which now involves at least seven teams after the weekend’s matches.
Cagliari 2-1 Atalanta
Cagliari, who are currently struggling in Serie A, came from behind to secure an impressive 2-1 victory against Atalanta, who are chasing a spot in Europe. This win at the Stadio Unipol Domus extends Cagliari’s unbeaten streak at home to four games. As a result, Cagliari now sits in 13th place in the standings, four points above the relegation zone. On the other hand, Atalanta suffered their tenth defeat of the season in Serie A and are still in sixth place.
Juventus 1-0 Fiorentina
Federico Gatti scored his third match-winning goal of the season to help Juventus break a four-game winless streak in Serie A with a narrow 1-0 victory at home against Fiorentina. Fiorentina, who have yet to secure an away league win in 2024, were denied a late equalizer by a block from their own player, M’Bala Nzola. Juventus defended well to secure the win, their second in 10 Serie A matches. Despite the victory, Massimiliano Allegri’s team remained in a strong position to finish in the top three, while Fiorentina’s chances of European qualification took a hit after a fourth consecutive winless league match.
Udinese 1-2 Inter
Udinese’s chances of staying in Serie A suffered another blow when Davide Frattesi scored in the 95th minute to give Inter Milan a 2-1 victory. This defeat marked the seventh consecutive winless home game for Udinese. Inter dominated the late stages of the match in search of a winning goal, but Frattesi’s initial miss from close range highlighted their struggles in the attacking third. Despite their efforts, Inter did not create a clear scoring opportunity until the 95th minute, when Frattesi scored after Lautaro Martínez’s shot hit the post. This goal led to celebrations on the Inter bench and left Udinese disappointed.