Juventus win marred by discriminatory chants about Vlahović

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This article was published 07/05/2023 (1198 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MILAN (AP) — Dušan Vlahović responded to opposition fans’ discriminatory chants with a late goal to help Juventus beat Atalanta 2-0 and move into second spot in Serie A on Sunday.

The match was briefly halted late on because of the chanting against Vlahović. The Serbian replied by netting in stoppage time to seal the result after 19-year-old Samuel Iling-Junior opened the scoring early in the second half with his first senior goal on his first start for Juventus.

It was only a second win for Juventus in seven matches and saw the Bianconeri leapfrog Lazio, which lost 2-0 at AC Milan on Saturday in a close fight for the top four in Serie A.

Atalanta hit the woodwork twice and remained five points below fourth-place Inter Milan and the final Champions League qualifying spot.

There are four rounds remaining.

Newly crowned Serie A champion Napoli celebrated securing its first league title in 33 years with a 1-0 victory over Fiorentina in joyful celebrations at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

In Bergamo, Atalanta was bidding for a fourth straight win. That would have left five sides within three points of each other fighting for the final three spots in next season’s Champions League.

It was a high-intensity match from the start and Ángel Di María curled an effort just past the left upright in the 21st minute for Juventus.

Atalanta went even closer three minutes later when Giorgio Scalvini headed a corner from the right off the far post.

Juventus broke the deadlock 11 minutes after the interval in a move started and finished by Iling-Junior.

The England under-20 international won the ball on the left flank and cut inside before giving it to Adrien Rabiot. He rolled it across for Arkadiusz Milik but Atalanta defender Joakim Mæhle’s interception ended up setting it up for Iling-Junior, who fired into the roof of the net from close range.

Davide Zappacosta almost leveled for Atalanta with a minute remaining but his 20-yard effort thumped off the base of the near post.

The match was briefly halted because Atalanta fans were making discriminatory chants towards Vlahović. The referee and the Atalanta players asked them to stop, while they were also jeered by other sections of the home support.

Vlahović got his revenge in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Federico Chiesa raced forward on the counter from inside his own half and rolled the ball across to Vlahović before frantically calling for it back but the Serbian ignored him and placed it into the top left corner.

Vlahović declined to say anything to the Atalanta fans, but pointed furiously to his chest instead.

TOP SCORER

After securing the Serie A title on Thursday, Napoli turned its attention to helping Victor Osimhen claim the top goalscorer prize.

Osimhen saw one penalty saved by Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano but converted another to move four clear of Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martínez at the top of the goalscoring charts.

The Nigeria international also hit the crossbar.

RELEGATION FIGHT

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Hellas Verona beat fellow struggler Lecce 1-0. Substitute Cyril Ngonge scored a fine solo goal in the 71st minute, shortly after coming off the bench to help Verona to its first away victory in more than a year.

Verona inched three points above 18th-place Spezia. Lecce was only a point above Verona.

Also, Monza rescued a 1-1 draw at Torino.

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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports