There was no room for a stalemate in Serie A this time. Matchweek 7 produced ten games, 35 goals, five home wins, five away wins, not a single draw and not one red card, and it left four clubs still unbeaten after seven rounds: Inter, Lazio, Roma and AC Milan. Venezia finally won a league game, at the expense of Napoli. Frosinone's Antonio Raimondo scored a hat-trick, and Lecce won 3-0 at Udinese despite having the ball for barely a third of the game. Here is how every game played out in Serie A, from Friday to Monday.
Frosinone 4-2 Sassuolo
Friday's opener started at a sprint and never really slowed. Frosinone went in front through Giacomo Calò on nine minutes, Domenico Berardi levelled for Sassuolo six minutes later, set up by Darryl Bakola, and then Raimondo took over. He restored Frosinone's lead on 26 minutes and made it 3-1 four minutes after that, before Kristian Thorstvedt pulled one back for Sassuolo to leave it 3-2 at the break. Raimondo completed his hat-trick on 57 minutes, scoring from a corner with his right foot to make it 4-2. Frosinone had 21 shots to Sassuolo's 14, ten of them on target to six, and 3.03 expected goals to 1.82, even though Sassuolo had 58 per cent of the ball and 466 passes to the hosts' 333. It was a remarkably clean game, with a single yellow card, shown to Kieron Bowie of Sassuolo in the 82nd minute. Frosinone climb from ninth to sixth on 13 points. Sassuolo drop two places to 13th on eight.
Frosinone v Sassuolo. Photo: Antara News
Venezia 1-0 Napoli
This was the shock of the weekend. Napoli had 71 per cent of the ball, 29 shots to nine, 12 corners to none and 2.58 expected goals to 0.68, and they lost. Akor Adams scored the only goal for Venezia on 49 minutes, set up by Simon Sohm, and Venezia held on through everything that followed. Kevin De Bruyne was one of three substitutes Napoli sent on in the 54th minute, and he had a penalty saved in the 68th, the moment that summed up the afternoon. Venezia's bookings both came for arguing with the referee, for Toma Bašić on 61 minutes and Kike Pérez on 80, and they completed only 310 passes to Napoli's 734. It was Venezia's first league win of the season, on their seventh attempt, and it was not enough to lift them off the bottom, where they have three points. Napoli, who were eighth before the weekend, drop to ninth on 10.
Venezia players celebrate against Napoli. Photo: Italpress
Bologna 1-3 Inter
Inter had to come from behind to stay top, and they did it with some authority. Tommaso Pobega put Bologna ahead on ten minutes from a Juan Miranda pass, but Marcus Thuram equalised with a header on 44, set up by Nicolò Barella, and from there Inter were the better side. Carlos Augusto put them in front on 69 minutes after a pass from Piotr Zieliński, and Ange-Yoan Bonny made it 3-1 on 83, with Carlos Augusto this time the provider, so he finished with a goal and an assist. Inter had 65 per cent of the ball, 17 shots to 11, eight on target to four, and 3.78 expected goals to 1.78. It was a feisty afternoon, with seven yellow cards in all: four for Bologna, Arthur Theate, Pobega, Miranda and Federico Bernardeschi, and three for Inter, Pio Esposito, Thuram and Carlos Augusto. Inter are unbeaten on 19 points. Bologna, who drew 3-3 with them in May, are 15th with five points.
Inter players celebrate at Bologna. Photo: MSN
Roma 2-0 Genoa
Roma keep winning without much fuss, and this was another one. Santiago Castro gave them the lead from a corner on 50 minutes, scoring with his right foot, and Emanuele Lulli added a second on 68 minutes, also with his right. Roma had 66 per cent of the ball, 15 shots to nine and five on target to one, with 1.47 expected goals to Genoa's 0.52, and they completed 623 passes to the visitors' 323. Five yellow cards were shown in all, two to Roma, Matías Soulé and Niccolò Pisilli, and three to Genoa, Johan Vásquez, Leo Østigård and Mikael Egill Ellertsson. The win leaves Roma unbeaten after seven games, third on 17 points, with the best goal difference in the league at plus 13 and the fewest goals conceded, just three. Genoa, with one win from seven, are 17th on four points.
Roma's Santiago Castro with team-mates. Photo: Eurosport
Udinese 0-3 Lecce
Udinese had most of the possession and still lost 3-0. They had 67 per cent of it and 520 passes to Lecce's 258, 121 attacks to 99 and 14 shots to 17, but only two of those shots were on target, against 11 from Lecce. The visitors' 4.40 expected goals was the highest of any side in Serie A this weekend. Kialonda Gaspar headed in on 11 minutes, set up by Antonino Gallo, Konan N’Dri made it 2-0 from a corner on 33, with Tiago Gabriel the creator, and Jamil Siebert added a third on 86 minutes. Lecce had to make an enforced change on 41 minutes, Mohamed Kaba coming on for the injured Lassana Coulibaly, but it did not slow them down. Udinese won just one corner all afternoon and collected one booking, for Hassane Kamara. Lecce climb a place to 12th on nine points. Udinese sink to 16th on four.
Lecce players celebrate at Udinese. Photo: Italpress / Image Sport
Fiorentina 1-3 Como
Como keep climbing, and this was their fourth win in seven. Mattia Liberali put them ahead on 32 minutes after a pass from Maxence Caqueret, and Nico Paz headed a second four minutes later, set up by Álex Valle. Marin Pongračić pulled one back from a corner on 42 minutes to give Fiorentina hope, but Tasos Douvikas made it 3-1 on 56, set up by Paz, who therefore finished with a goal and an assist. The numbers say Fiorentina did plenty: 19 shots to 16, 11 corners to five, and 2.76 expected goals to 2.30, with eight of Como's shots on target to seven of theirs. Como collected three yellow cards, for Valle, Paz and Jacobo Ramón, and Fiorentina two, for Cher Ndour and Franco Mastantuono. Como jump from seventh to fifth on 14 points. Fiorentina are 18th on four, one of four clubs on that total.
Como's Nico Paz and a team-mate at Fiorentina. Photo: Italpress
AC Milan 3-2 Atalanta
AC Milan were 3-0 up after 57 minutes and still needed the final whistle to be sure. Gonçalo Ramos converted a penalty on 24 minutes and also had one saved, Adrien Rabiot made it 2-0 on 43 after a pass from Diego Moreira, and Mario Gila headed a third on 57, set up by Rabiot. Then Atalanta came back into it: Gianluca Gaetano scored on 66, set up by Nicola Zalewski, and Nikola Krstović made it 3-2 on 81, from a Raoul Bellanova pass, but there was no equaliser. Milan had 56 per cent of the ball, 11 shots to 12, six on target to four, and 2.62 expected goals to 1.92. Each side passed with 91 per cent accuracy. Milan committed only three fouls to Atalanta's 10. Rabiot was booked on 41 minutes, Éderson and Relja Obrić were booked for Atalanta, and Milan finished the weekend fourth on 15 points and unbeaten. Atalanta, who lost for the fourth time, are 11th on nine.
AC Milan players celebrate against Atalanta. Photo: Daniele Buffa / Image Sport via Italpress
Juventus 0-3 Lazio
The numbers said this should have been an even game. Juventus had 58 per cent of the ball and 526 passes to 384, but the shots finished nine apiece, with two on target for Juventus and three for Lazio, and the expected goals were close too, 0.60 to 0.82. Then Oliver Provstgaard headed Lazio ahead on 37 minutes from a Mattia Zaccagni delivery, and Gustav Isaksen made it 2-0 on 66 with a left-footed finish, set up by Nuno Tavares. Substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru sealed it on 89 minutes, from an Andrea Pinamonti pass. Juventus were caught offside six times and received no yellow cards, while Lazio collected two, for Kenneth Taylor and Zaccagni. It is Lazio's third league win in a row and keeps them second on 19 points, unbeaten after seven. Juventus fall from sixth to eighth on 11. The sides drew 2-2 when they last met in February.
Juventus v Lazio. Photo: Matteo Gribaudi / Image Sport via Italpress
Monza 4-0 Cagliari
Expected goals had Cagliari ahead and the scoreboard had Monza four clear. Cagliari had 2.73 of them to Monza's 1.88, 16 shots to 14, seven corners to two and 55 per cent of the ball, yet they lost by four. The difference was finishing: six of Monza's shots were on target and four went in. Eddy Kouadio put the hosts ahead on 39 minutes from a Dany Mota pass, Gustavo Varela doubled the lead two minutes after the restart, and Jay Robinson made it 3-0 on 66, set up by Varela, who completed his double on 79 minutes. There were only three yellow cards, for Harry Winks and Alieu Fadera of Cagliari and Samuele Birindelli of Monza. Monza climb from 16th to 14th on seven points. Cagliari, who were fourth before the weekend, fall to seventh on 13 after losing for the second time this season.
Monza players against Cagliari. Photo: Football Italia
Parma 0-3 Torino
Parma had 25 shots and lost 3-0, which tells you most of what you need to know about shot counts. By expected goals those 25 attempts were worth 1.27, less than the 1.38 produced by Torino's nine, and Parma had eight on target to the visitors' three. Giovanni Simeone had Torino in front in the fourth minute, set up by Rafik Belghali, Ché Adams headed a second on 24, and Simeone scored again on 69 minutes, with Belghali the creator once more. Parma had 51 per cent of the ball and 461 passes at 83 per cent accuracy, and they were booked three times, Diego Carlos, Sascha Britschgi and Mariano Troilo, to Torino's two, Ardian Ismajli and Pietro Comuzzo. Torino committed 16 fouls to Parma's seven. The win lifts Torino from 12th to 10th on ten points, while Parma, 19th on four, have won once in seven.
Torino players at Parma. Photo: Football Italia
Serie A table after Matchweek 7, and what comes next
Seven games in, Inter lead the Serie A table on 19 points, level with Lazio but ahead on goal difference, plus 12 to plus 10. Roma are third on 17 and AC Milan fourth on 15, so the top four are the four unbeaten sides, with Como fifth on 14. At the bottom, Venezia are 20th on three points, and Udinese, Genoa, Fiorentina and Parma are all on four. Matchweek 8 brings plenty to watch: Roma travel to Napoli on Saturday in Napoli v Roma, a meeting of the beaten and the unbeaten. On Sunday, Inter v Fiorentina gives the leaders a home game against a side in the bottom three, and Udinese v AC Milan is played the same day. Every fixture is on our Serie A fixtures page.
