Juventus keep Serie A lead with draw

Juventus and Udinese are level at the top of the league, but Juve edge the better goal difference [GALLO/GETTY]

Juventus stayed at the top of Serie A following a 0-0 draw at Chievo Verona, one of five scoreless stalemates in the Italian league on Sunday.

The closest either side came to scoring was a header off the post from Alessandro Del Piero in the 73rd minute, three minutes after the 36-year-old Juventus captain came on.

Juventus had another chance in the 75th but Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino deflected a long effort from Simone Pepe over the bar, and Del Piero preserved the draw by clearing the ball off the line in the 84th following a corner from United States international Michael Bradley.

With new coach Antonio Conte guiding a long list of new players, Juventus remain unbeaten.

Juventus and Udinese each have 12 points through six matches but Juve lead on goals scored.

Draws

Results

Sunday October 16  Atalanta 0-0 Udinese   Cagliari 0-0 Siena   Cesena 0-0 Fiorentina   Chievo 0-0 Juventus   Genoa 0-0 Lecce    Novara 0-2 Bologna  Lazio 2-1 Roma  Saturday October 15  AC Milan 3-0 Palermo   Catania 2-1 Inter   Napoli 1-2 Parma

Udinese also drew 0-0 at Atalanta, and Cagliari stayed one point behind the leaders after another scoreless result against Siena.

Ten-man Genoa and Lecce also played to a 0-0 draw after defender Kakha Kaladze picked up his second yellow card in the 79th.

In the day’s only match with a goal, Bologna got their first win by beating Novara 2-0 with scores from Gaston Ramirez and Robert Acquafresca in coach Stefano Pioli’s debut.

Earlier in the lunchtime fixture, Cesena held Fiorentina to a 0-0 draw despite losing striker Adrian Mutu to a straight red card.

Mutu, playing against his former club, was sent off in the 73rd for swiping his arm toward the face of Fiorentina defender Mattia Cassani.

Cesena had come closest to breaking the deadlock as Roberto Guana hit the crossbar in the 20th minute while former Juventus midfielder Antonio Candreva also touched the woodwork with a similar effort in the 55th.

Fiorentina was missing injured forward Alberto Gilardino and winger Juan Vargas, who was left out of the squad for keeping late hours.