Goals from Alessandro Florenzi, Francesco Totti and Kevin Strootman, from the penalty spot, moved Roma joint top of Italy's Serie A thanks to a 3-1 win over Parma on Monday. With three wins in as many games and level on goal difference with Napoli, Roma sit just behind Rafael Benitez's leaders but two points ahead of Inter, Fiorentina and champions Juventus following draws for all three at the weekend.
Roma travelled north feeling confident having lost just once to Parma in their last 14 league encounters, and with the carrot of moving ahead of more authentic title contenders should they win. However it was Parma who secured a half-time lead on 39 minutes after Jonathan Biabiany headed past Morgan De Sanctis in the Roma goal from Mattia Cassani's delivery.
Roma levelled barely two minutes after the restart when Miralem Pjanic sent a delightful chip into the path of Florenzi for the Italian to beat Antonio Mirante with a well-struck firsttime shot. In the 70th minute Roma captain Totti, in his 22nd season with the Italian club, was played onside by a Parma defender on the other side of the field and promptly collected Strootman's chip before sending Mirante the wrong way in the Parma goal.
Totti's first strike of the campaign caused jubilation among the Roma camp and the visitors' joy was complete when Gervinho, who had been largely mediocre on the night, won a penalty five minutes from the final whistle. It was the best contribution from what proved a frustrating night for the former Arsenal forward, and Dutch midfielder Strootman stepped up to beat Mirante on 85 minutes to seal a deserved 3-1 win for Rudi Garcia's men.Bilbao wins at new stadiumGoals by Mikel San Jose, Andoni Iraola and Benat Etxebarria gave Athletic Bilbao a 3-2 win over Celta Vigo at the inaugural match in their new San Mames Stadium in the Spanish league on Monday. “This is very good news for us, apart from the three points, we had the dream of starting off in this place with a win,“ Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde said.
Celta striker Charles Dias silenced the 36,000 crowd when he opened the scoring against the flow of play in the 14th minute from a cross by Rafinha after rushing forward on a swift counterattack. Mikel San Jose drew loud cheers from Athletic fans when he equalised in the 18th, beating goalkeeper Yoel Rodriguez after con trolling the ball from a free kick taken by Benat Etxebarria.
Iraola scored his first goal of the season for Athletic in the 61st from a delicate back-pass by Iker Munain. Seven minutes later, Etxebarria timed his run forward to beat the offside trap, controlled the ball in the area, skillfully sidestepped a defender and calmly shot low into goal.
“It was important that the inauguration should begin on a good footing with a victory and I'm absolutely delighted,“ he said.Racism: Spectator ban on Inter MilanInter Milan must play their next Serie A home match with no spectators in one section of their ground as punishment for racist chanting by fans on Saturday, officials decided on Tuesday. The spectator ban, and a 15,000-euro (£12,576.24) fine, were imposed because fans chanted racist insults and shone laser lights at the referee and Juventus play ers, Serie A said in a state ment on Tuesday.
Inter fans also unfurled a banner insulting Juve coach Antonio Conte, the state ment said. Italian media said racist insults were directed at Juve midfielders Paul Pogba and Kwadwo Asamoah during the match in Milan, which ended 1-1.
One stand of the San Siro will be closed for Inter's home game against Fiorentina on September 26.