Ill-discipline costs Roma as Juventus go eight points clear in Serie A
Champions win 3-0 thanks in large part to Roma having two players sent off in top-of-the-table clash
AS Roma’s Serie A title challenge imploded against Serie A leaders Juventus on Sunday as they had two players sent off in less than a minute in an emphatic 3-0 defeat which ended their unbeaten run this season.
Roma stalwart Daniele De Rossi was dismissed for a reckless lunging tackle and Leandro Castan followed for punching the ball off the goalline from the resulting free kick in a demoralising defeat, the first since Frenchman Rudi Garcia took over as coach.
Juventus, champions for the last two seasons, stamped their authority on Serie A again as they moved eight points clear of second-placed Roma, threatening to run away with another title with more than half the season still to play.
Roma brought the best defensive record with only seven goals conceded before the match but were undone by uncharacteristically shoddy play at the back which allowed Arturo Vidal and Leonardo Bonucci to put Juventus 2-0 ahead.
Mirko Vucinic made it a rout by firing home the penalty following Castan’s handball as Juventus completed their 10th successive league win, a run which included a victory by the same score over third-placed Napoli.
Roma nearly finished with eight men but Adem Ljajic was let off with a yellow card for a rough tackle on Paul Pogba.