Bonucci saves Juve blushes

MILAN — Leonardo Bonucci's second-half leveler saved Juventus's blushes a day after Roma virtually conceded the title as the champion was held to its first Serie A draw in over a year at Udinese. Juventus, aiming for a record sixth consecutive scudetto, was given a push in the right direction Saturday when Roma's 2-1 home defeat to Napoli gave the Turin giant the chance to pull 10 points clear. But in a cagey performance at the Dacia Stadium, filled to the brim for the visit of the 32-time Italian champion, Juve failed to capitalize, settling for its first draw of the campaign and its first in Serie A since drawing with Bologna in February 2016. Massimiliano Allegri's men remain top of the pile but are now eight points ahead of Roma, with Napoli third at 10 points off the pace. Juventus was denied early penalty claims when Dani Alves, after pouncing on Gonzalo Higuain's smart delivery down the right, fired in a cross that appeared to come off the arm of Samir. Referee Antonio Damato was unimpressed, and Juve suffered another blow minutes later when Duvan Zapata powered down the left, holding off Bonucci, to fire under the body of Gianluigi Buffon as the 'keeper came out to block at his near post. But the home fans' hopes of seeing Udinese hold on for a famous win were dashed on the hour. Juventus won a free kick and when Paulo Dybala fired an inviting delivery toward the back post, Bonucci got between Silvan Widmar and Stipe Perica to head past Orestis Karnezis. Earlier, surprise package Atalanta stubbornly held on to fourth spot but missed out on the chance to close the gap on Napoli after seeing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu perform heroics in a scoreless draw with Fiorentina in Bergamo. That result was welcomed by rival which is also hunting a place in Europe next season, and Inter Milan capitalized in style with a classy 5-1 win at Cagliari that saw two-goal Ivan Perisic inspire the Nerazzurri. Inter moved up to fifth, one point ahead of city rival AC Milan following its 3-1 win over Chievo Saturday, although the Nerazzurri will be back down to sixth if Lazio draw or beat Bologna in Sunday's late game. Elsewhere, Italy striker Andrea Belotti hit a hat trick to take his tally for the season to a league-leading 22 goals in a 3-1 home win over Palermo. Relegation candidates Palermo saw Andrea Rispoli beat England's Joe Hart from distance on the half hour. But Belotti struck three times in the space of eight second-half minutes to hand Torino a 10th win of the campaign. He now has a three-goal lead in the scoring charts on Roma's Edin Dzeko and Higuain, both on 19, with Napoli's Dries Mertens on 18 and Icardi on 17. — AFP