MILAN — Stephan El Shaarawy and Edin Dzeko fired a series of blanks as Roma was held to a scoreless draw at Empoli Sunday that has left champion Juventus four points clear at the top of Serie A.
Roma travelled to the Castellani Stadium looking to close a five-point deficit after Juventus secured a 2-1 win over title rivals Napoli Saturday when former Azzurri striker Gonzalo Higuain hit the winner in Turin.
But Luciano Spalletti's men were frustrated throughout by an astute Empoli defense, and 'keeper Lukasz Skorupski pulled off a series of late saves to help claim a share of the points for the host.
Roma's first scoreless stalemate of the season left it in second place at four points behind Juventus.
Napoli's defeat left it seven points adrift and Maurizio Sarri's men dropped to fifth place after AC Milan and Lazio held on amid tight finishes against Pescara and Sassuolo respectively to move up to third and fourth.
A 3-0 defeat to Genoa in midweek meant Milan was looking to get back to winning ways against league newcomers Pescara.
It took the host until four minutes after the restart to break the deadlock at the San Siro, but Giacomo Bonaventura's 49th minute free kick was worth the wait.
He rightly anticipated several players in the Pescara defensive wall jumping to block a high shot, and he simply rolled the ball under their feet and past rooted 'keeper Albano Bizzarri to score his second league goal of the season.
The host went on to endure a tight finish that saw Pescara pour forward in a bid for a late equalizer after seven minutes of extra time were added on.
Lazio broke the deadlock in controversial fashion at the Stadio Olimpico, Senad Lulic appearing slightly offside when Keita Balde's cross into the box came off goalkeeper Andrea Consigli and then off the defender before landing in the net.
But the goal stood, and minutes later the Biancocelesti doubled their lead when Ciro Immobile smashed a volley past Consigli off a Sassuolo leg from a corner that had been nodded into his path.
Frenchman Gregoire Defrel hit a consolation goal just before the hour but Lazio held on for a sixth win of the season to stay unbeaten since a 2-0 loss to Milan last month.
Milan sits in third at five points behind Juventus, with Lazio a further point off the pace.
Elsewhere, Crotone claimed its maiden Serie A win after a first-half penalty from Marcello Trotta and an injury-time second from Diego Falcinelli secured a 2-0 home win over Chievo.
Balotelli shines
Mario Balotelli starred once again as clinical Nice opened up a six-point gap at the top of Ligue 1 with a 4-1 thrashing of Nantes Sunday.
Balotelli scored one and was involved in two other goals as Nice took its unbeaten run since the start of the season to 11 matches.
Wylan Cyprien scored a brace and Alassane Plea also netted while Emiliano Sala replied for the out-gunned visitors at the Allianz Riviera, as Nice played with panache and incision.
Second-placed Monaco lost ground in the title-race with a 1-1 draw at Saint-Etienne Saturday. — Agencies
