The China Mail - Record-breakers Atalanta maintain Serie A lead as Juve held by lowly Venezia

Nicolo Zaniolo made sure Atalanta stayed top of Serie A this weekend with the goal which decided a hard-fought encounter in Sardinia, the Italy international forward stroking home the winner from Raoul Bellanova's cut-back in the 66th minute.

Atalanta, guided by veteran coach Gian Piero Gasperini, have emerged as genuine Scudetto challengers for the first time in their history and stay two points clear at the top of the league with closest challengers Napoli on their heels following a 3-1 win at Udinese.

However, Gasperini was not happy with his players' performances as, after impressing in Tuesday's 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid, they struggled against Cagliari who are 15th and only two points above the relegation zone.

Atalanta, who also struck the post through Ademola Lookman almost straight after Zaniolo's winner, only came away with all three points thanks to a brilliant performance between the sticks from Marco Carnesecchi who made at least six great saves including one from Leonardo Pavoletti in stoppage time.

"A good chunk of this team, not everyone, needs to grow up a bit and get the same mentality as the core group of the squad," said Gasperini. whose decision to make three substitutions at half-time was a sign of his dissatisfaction.

Zaniolo's strike was his third of the season and a further sign of new life after a difficult last few years, but Gasperini later criticised him for being booked while celebrating his goal, calling "intolerable" him whipping his shirt as it fired up the home crowd.

"We cannot afford that every time he scores a goal he fires up the crows and turns our advantage into a disadvantage... it's already the second time that he's done it," Gasperini told reporters.

Napoli, missing injured star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, came back from a goal down to secure the three points at the Bluenergy Stadium where they sealed a historic third league crown last year.

- Napoli 'on right track' -

Trailing at the break after Florian Thauvin netted on the rebound from his own saved 22nd-minute penalty, Napoli roared back in the second half to delight their large and loud travelling support with strikes from Romelu Lukaku and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Lautaro Giannetti's own goal.

Napoli are four points ahead of Lazio and third-placed Inter, who face off in Rome on Monday night, and Fiorentina with the Viola at Bologna on Saturday.

"I said after we lost to Lazio (last weekend) that we're on the right track," said Conte to DAZN.

"The team needs to keep playing this kind of football, dictate the game, keep the ball and press when we don't have it."

Juventus are nine points behind Atalanta in sixth after following up on their Champions League win over Manchester City with an awful performance against Venezia which was met with loud disapproval from supporters despite Vlahovic's late leveller.

Vlahovic struck his 11th goal of the season from the spot after Antonio Candela was penalised for handball, but the goal was met with a combination of cheers and jeers from frustrated fans who watched their team's 12th draw of the season.

Mikael Ellertsson and Jay Idzes thought they had earned Venezia a shock win in Turin with two fine headers which cancelled out Federico Gatti's 19th-minute opener and put the away side ahead with seven minutes remaining.

Juve avoided a first league defeat of the season but a draw does nothing for Thiago Motta's team who look miles behind Atalanta not just in points but also in play.

W.Cheng--ThChM