Juve become league winter champs

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Inter held

MILAN, Dec 23, (AP): Juventus hung on with Mario Mandzukic’s first-half header to beat Roma 1-0 in Serie A and clinch the unofficial winter title with two matches remaining before the halfway point.

Juventus, seemingly unstoppable en route to an eighth successive Serie A title, have an eight-point lead over second-placed Napoli, which beat SPAL 1-0.

Third-place Inter are 16 points behind Juventus after only drawing at bottom club Chievo Verona 1-1.

“We haven’t won anything yet,” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said. “We’re doing well and we’re winter champions, but we need to make sure we have a big advantage on 29 December.”

He added: “Mario is a key player. He has technical and physical attributes which make him an extraordinary player.” Roma’s misery continued. They have won only one of their past eight matches in all competitions, piling the pressure on coach Eusebio Di Francesco, whose job may be at risk.

Roma goalkeeper Robin Olsen atoned for last week’s errors against Genoa with fine saves but could do nothing 10 minutes from halftime when Mandzukic rose high at the far post to head in Mattia De Sciglio’s cross from the right.

Olsen kept Juventus at the bay in the second half, including denying Cristiano Ronaldo twice in quick succession. Ronaldo hasn’t scored from open play in four consecutive matches.

Chievo’s Sergio Pellissier netted a stoppage-time equalizer to cancel out Ivan Perisic’s first goal for Inter in nearly three months.

Mauro Icardi rode a tackle and picked out Danilo D’Ambrosio, who sent in a low cross for Perisic to smash into the roof of the net in the 39th minute.

Inter looked sluggish and they were punished late on as a long ball was knocked on for Pellissier and the 39-year-old striker outsprinted the defenders to chip the onrushing Samir Handanovic.

Chievo finished with a sixth consecutive league draw.

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