MILAN — Roma maintained its perfect start to the Serie A season with a 2-0 win at Sampdoria Wednesday and took sole lead of the table after Napoli was surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw at home to Sassuolo. Two-time defending champion Juventus' abject start to the season continued as it had to come from behind for a controversial 2-1 win at Chievo Verona, while AC Milan again scored twice in the dying minutes to draw 3-3 at Bologna. Mehdi Benatia scored a stunning first goal in Italian football for Roma and Gervinho sealed the result. The capital club has won its opening five matches and moved two points clear of Napoli and Juventus. Elsewhere, Lazio bounced back from its derby defeat to Roma to beat 10-man Catania 3-1. In other results it was: Parma 4, Atalanta 3; Torino 2, Hellas Verona 2; and Livorno 1, Cagliari 1. Napoli had won its opening four matches, while Sassuolo was the only team without a point in Serie A and was still reeling from a 7-0 defeat at home to Inter Milan on the weekend. Napoli took the lead in the 15th minute when a cross was cleared straight at Blerim Dzemaili, who lashed it into the bottom left corner from 25 yards. Sassuolo had scored just one goal in its opening four matches and Simone Zaza was again the scorer five minutes later, firing into the roof of the net from a tight angle following a Jasmin Kurtic through ball. And Sassuolo held on for its first ever Serie A point. The result means that Roma is the only team still with a perfect record following its victory against Sampdoria. Roma was struggling to break down a resilient Sampdoria defense and Garcia's frustration got the better of him as he was sent to the stands 10 minutes into the second half for his protests. Benatia broke the deadlock 10 minutes later with a wonderful solo effort. The Morocco striker wove his way through the Sampdoria defense, beating four players on his way into the penalty area. He then tripped but fired home as he fell. Gervinho also scored his first Serie A goal after he was sent clear by Francesco Totti, two minutes from time. Sampdoria winger Antonino Barilla was sent off for a second booking in stoppages. Milan was unbeaten at Bologna since 2002 but had endured a miserable start to the season with just four points from as many games and was missing the suspended Mario Balotelli as well as a number of injured players. It took the lead in the 12th minute when Andrea Poli fired Robinho's smart pass across goal into the bottom left corner but Diego Laxalt leveled for Bologna in the 33rd following a swift counter. — Agencies
