MILAN: Dusan Vlahovic fired Juventus top of Serie A with a brace in Saturday's 3-0 win at Genoa who were forced to play behind closed doors as punishment for fan disorder in their midweek Italian Cup defeat to local rivals Sampdoria.
Juventus are a point ahead of Torino, AC Milan and Inter Milan, who were 3-2 winners at Udinese earlier on Saturday, after Vlahovic settled a match played in an atmosphere that harked back to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Serbia striker has struggled for form in the early weeks of the season, only netting in one of his previous six Juventus appearances.
But he opened the scoring from the penalty spot two minutes after half-time before rifling home from Teun Koopmeiners' fine pass in the 55th minute.
"People talk, say that you're the best when you score goals and a flop when you don't. I do my talking on the pitch," said Vlahovic to DAZN.
"I know very well that there is a lot expected of me and I am not running away from that."
Thiago Motta's team, who also scored in the final minutes through substitute Francisco Conceicao, are yet to concede a league goal this season and snapped a run of three consecutive goalless draws in Serie A with a professional display.
Juve could have won by more as Koopmeiners somehow failed to push home Conceicao's low cross in the 64th minute, hitting the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.
The away side's task was made easier with Genoa's passionate support shut out of the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in the aftermath of the encounter with their second-tier neighbours Sampdoria.
Prolonged clashes between the hardcore ultras before and after Wednesday's fraught derby cup tie led to dozens of injuries to fans and police and a crackdown by Italy's security authorities.
A third defeat of the season left Genoa in 16th place and one point above the relegation zone.
Lautaro Martinez struck his first goals of the season in Inter's entertaining win at Udinese.
Davide Frattesi's deft finish after just 43 seconds was followed by Argentina forward Martinez's strikes moments before and after half-time.
The win in Udine helped Inter bounce back from Milan derby defeat last weekend and move up to fourth, on 11 points after six matches.
"After the derby we kept quiet and worked hard and I think you saw that on the pitch," said Martinez to DAZN.
Martinez's brace will be great news for coach Simone Inzaghi whose team host Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Before Saturday, last season's Serie A top scorer had not scored since netting the winner for his country in the Copa America final in July.
"It definitely important for me because a striker is always on the hunt for goals," he said.
"I always say that first I work for the team, and if I manage to score then so much the better."
Lazar Samardzic snatched a late 1-1 draw at 10-man Bologna with a brilliant 90th-minute leveller ahead of their Champions League trip to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Midfielder Samardzic rammed home his equaliser seconds after striking the post, saving a point after playing with an extra man for almost all of the second half following Jhon Lucumí's 51st minute sending off.
Atalanta are ninth and level on seven points with Bologna, who face a daunting Champions League trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool on Wednesday. - REUTERS