Cesena off the mark, Juve go top

Juventus beat travel shy Palermo 3-0 on Sunday to join Lazio at the top of Serie A and remain unbeaten after their first 10 games of the season.

Simone Pepe headed Juve in front in the first half before Alessandro Matri and Claudio Marchisio each scored their fifth goal of the season to finish off the Sicilians' resistance.

Fifth-placed Palermo have a 100 percent home record but have taken only one point in six away games and have yet to score on the road.

Antonio Conte's team went level on 22 points with Lazio, who have played a game more and drew 0-0 at Napoli on Saturday.

Juventus visit Lazio next Sunday.

Udinese missed a chance to go top when they lost 2-0 at Parma, a result which kept them level on 21 points with defending champions AC Milan who drew 0-0 at Fiorentina on Saturday.

Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin spent two seasons at Parma but got no favours from his former club as Jonathan Biabany headed the hosts ahead before the hour and Sebastian Giovinco converted a penalty.

It was Giovinco's seventh goal of the season.

Argentine forward German Denis scored twice for Atalanta, the first a penalty, in a 2-2 draw at Siena, leaving him as league topscorer with nine goals.

Gaetano D'Agostino and Alessandro Gazzi replied for Atalanta who twice came from behind in a battle of two promoted teams.

Bottom club Cesena won 1-0 at Bologna, their first win of the season, thanks to a goal from Marco Parolo.

Chievo Verona won 2-1 at Catania and Miguel Veloso's 86th minute gave Genoa a 1-0 win over Novara, even though the hosts played the second half with 10 men after Luca Antonelli was sent off for a professional foul.

Novara had Riccardo Meggiorini dismissed in the 81st minute after he was booked and then insulted the referee over the original decision.

PIRLO CLOSE

Juventus, playing their first game for three weeks, went ahead in the 20th minute when Pepe was left unchallenged to head in from Giorgio Chiellini's cross.

Andrea Pirlo curled a 20-metre effort against the post shortly afterwards for Juve although the visitors also looked dangerous on the break.

Three minutes after halftime, Stephan Lichtensteiner sent Matri clear down the right and he scored with an angled shot, breaking Palermo's spirit.

Matri then produced a clever dummy as he allowed Mirko Vucinic's pass to run into the path of Marchisio, who scored the third in the 65th minute.