The Fort Worth Press - Lookman fires Atalanta past Fiorentina and level with leaders Napoli

Nigeria forward Lookman tapped in the winner from Luis Muriel's cross in the 59th minute in Bergamo to maintain the hosts' unbeaten record and hold on to second place.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side trail Napoli on goal difference and are three points ahead of both third-placed Lazio -- 4-0 winners over Spezia earlier on Sunday -- and champions AC Milan.

It was a fifth clean sheet in eight league matches for Atalanta, who are less flamboyant than they had been in recent years but have a now solidness which has made them extremely hard to beat.

There were a few nervy moments against Fiorentina, who are 11th after their third defeat of the campaign, after failing to capitalise on good opportunities after taking the lead.

Joakim Maehle should have made it two in the 67th minute when he fluffed a one-on-one with Pietro Terracciano, and Lookman was denied a brace shortly afterwards by superb defending from Lucas Martinez Quarta.

London-born Lookman was then played in by Teun Koopmeiners and tried to curl in his third of the season but was stopped by the outstretcheed leg of Argentina defender Martinez Quarta.

However it made no difference to a result which maintained a superb start and kept Atalanta fans dreaming.

- Caputi makes history -

Ferrieri Caputi had one moment of controversy in her Serie A officiating debut at Sassuolo, who crushed Salernitana 5-0 to move above Inter Milan into seventh.

She gave the penalty from which Andrea Pinamonti put the hosts two goals ahead six minutes before half-time.

Armand Lauriente had already put Sassuolo in the lead in the 12th minute with his first Serie A goal when she whistled for what Salernitana thought was a soft foul on Emil Ceide by Giulio Maggiore.

Kristian Thorstvedt, who had laid on Lauriente's opener, then swept home the third in the 53rd minute after rapid counter led by Agustin Alvarez Martinez.

Abdou Harroui made it four with 14 minutes remaining before Janis Antiste rolled in a low finish to complete the rout in stoppage time.

Monza moved out of the relegation zone and up to 16th after sweeping to a 3-0 win at the league's bottom side Sampdoria, who sacked coach Marco Giampaolo in the wake of the humiliation.

Samp have lost their last four and are four points behind 17th-placed Bologna, who take on Juventus in Turin on Sunday night.

- Lazio stroll against Spezia -

Lazio strolled past Spezia at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to early goals from Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli and a second-half brace from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Maurizio Sarri's team made short work of Spezia, who are three points above the relegation zone, in claiming their third straight league win.

"It could have been an ugly goal as far as I'm concerned, all that matters is that it went in," said Romagnoli after scoring his first Lazio goal since his summer move from Milan with a well-taken volley.

Lazio would have been in the lead in the second minute had Ciro Immobile not blasted over a penalty he won after just 39 seconds -- the earliest ever in a Serie A match.

The hosts were two ahead by the 24th minute however through Zaccagni and boyhood Lazio fan Romagnoli, who kissed the badge under the Curva Nord end of the stadium where he went to watch the Roman team as a boy.

Milinkovic-Savic rolled home from Danilo Cataldi's pass to make it three just after the hour mark before dinking in his 50th Serie A goal in stoppage time to give the match a scoreline that reflected the balance of play.

Lecce drew 1-1 with Cremonese with penalties from Daniel Ciofani and Gabriel Strefezza leaving each side with a point.

P.McDonald--TFWP