Leaders Juve escape with draw at Fiorentina
Reuters - Tuesday 25 September 2012, 22:21
Serie A leaders Juventus were fortunate to escape with a 0-0 draw after being outplayed at Fiorentina on Tuesday.
Juventus, who won last season's title without losing a match, extended their unbeaten league run to 44 games, although they dropped their first points of the current campaign.
The defending champions, 5-0 winners in the corresponding fixture last season, have 13 points from five games, while a vastly-improved Fiorentina have eight.
In a highly entertaining game, Fiorentina had two excellent chances within a minute just before half-time as Stevan Jovetic headed against the bar and Adem Ljajic fired across the face of goal after being sent clear of the Juve defence.
The second half saw Facundo Roncaglia and then Juan Cuadrado shoot agonisingly wide of Gianluigi Buffon's goal with low shots from almost identical positions on the edge of the penalty area.
There was another escape for Juve when a Pasqual header flew just wide of the goal.
Juventus' last league defeat was against Parma in the penultimate round of the 2010/11 season.