what he went through (shooting struggles) last year.He d

MILAN -- Title-winning teams often grind out results despite not playing well -- and that is precisely what Juventus is doing.Chievo Verona had won just one of its last six matches but Juventus struggled to break it down before eventually winning 2-1 on Sunday.Juventus remained four points clear of second-placed Roma and five above AC Milan.Miralem Pjanic had struggled to fit in since transferring from Roma in the offseason but he scored what was to prove the winner for Juventus in the 75th minute with a trademark free kick into the top right corner from just outside the area. Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino barely moved.I won the free kick and I put it in. Im happy, but whats important, above all, is the three points, Pjanic said. I always do my utmost to fit in as best as possible, its obvious that I want to do more, but its a new system, its a different kind of football to where I was before, but Im adapting.Im not worried, I know that there are always great expectations in a great club, that doesnt worry me, Im staying calm, I do my work as best as possible. So slowly but surely Ill get there, Im a new footballer here, but Im happy to be here.Mario Mandzukic broke the deadlock in the 53rd, controlling Juan Cuadrados through ball before driving across into the bottom left corner.Mandzukic almost scored a stunning goal in the first half, nodding on a long ball and flicking it over Nicolas Spolli before firing over the bar from six yards.Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was making his 600th Serie A appearance, becoming only the fourth player to reach that mark after Paolo Maldini (647), Javier Zanetti (615) -- who are both retired -- and Roma captain Francesco Totti (607).Buffon was decisive in the 64th to deny Lucas Castro from point-blank range, but could do nothing moments later as Sergio Pellissier converted a penalty after being tripped by Stephan Lichtsteiner.There was more bad news on the injury front for Juventus, which is already without Giorgio Chiellini. Fellow defender Andrea Barzagli was stretchered off in the fifth minute with a dislocated shoulder.---PALERMO, 1 AC MILAN 2It was the battle of the young goalkeepers in Sicily. Milan shotstopper Gianluigi Donnarumma is just 17, while Palermo counterpart Josip Posavec is 20.Their combined age is less than that of Buffon, who is 38.Posavec gifted Milan the lead in the 15th minute, colliding with his own defender as he came out to collect Mattia De Sciglios cross and losing the ball, allowing Suso to deposit the ball into an empty net.Posavec made up for his error in the second half with three stunning saves to deny Suso each time but was beaten in the 82nd, when substitute Gianluca Lapadula cheekily backheeled Susos long-range attempt into the bottom corner.It was the first Serie A goal for Lapadula, who had only been on the pitch three minutes.Palermo had leveled in the 71st when Ilija Nestorovski ran onto Alessandro Diamantis through ball and drilled it into the near corner for his third goal in as many matches.---INTER MILAN 3, CROTONE 0Problems continued for managerless Inter Milan on and off the pitch, with a win over Serie As bottom side in a hostile atmosphere at San Siro.The scoreline was more generous than Inter deserved, with three goals in the final six minutes. Mauro Icardi netted twice, the first a penalty, after Ivan Perisic had fired the Nerazzurri in front.It was only Inters fifth win this season and fans made their displeasure known with several insulting banners directed at the players as well as the club owners and directors.The club released a statement on Sunday, saying it would announce the new coach in 48 hours. Youth coach Stefano Vecchi replaced the fired Frank de Boer on Tuesday on a temporary basis.---ROMA 3, BOLOGNA 0After Icardi moved level with Edin Dzeko at the top of the scoring charts, all eyes were on the Roma forward to see if he would strike again.Instead of Dzeko, it was Mohamed Salah who stole the headlines with his first hat trick in club football.Roma went ahead in the 13th minute as Adam Masina attempted to clear Salahs effort but only succeeded in prodding it past his own goalkeeper.The league credited the goal to Salah and the former Chelsea midfielder went on to score a second-half brace, taking his tally to eight for the season -- one behind Ciro Immobile and two below Dzeko and Icardi.The only other time Salah has netted three in a match was in a World Cup qualifier for Egypt against Zimbabwe in 2013.---OTHER MATCHESEmpoli ended its goal drought in spectacular fashion, scoring double the number of goals it had netted all season, in a 4-0 win at fellow struggler Pescara.Massimo Maccarone netted twice for Empoli, which hadnt found the back of the net in the last eight rounds, and also provided the assist for Manuel Pucciarelli. Riccardo Saponara added a fourth in the final minute.Atalanta won 3-0 at Sassuolo to continue its impressive run of form and move level on points with fourth-placed Lazio after a sixth win in seven matches.Elsewhere, Fiorentina vs. Sampdoria and Genoa vs. Udinese both ended 1-1. Nike Air Max Canada Sale . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. Nike Air Max 2020 Canada .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. http://www.clearanceairmaxcanada.com/air-max-tavas-canada-sale.html . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Nike Air Max Tailwind 7 Canada . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Air Max 90 Canada Mens . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. No. 11 Gonzaga enters Sundays game against defensive-minded No. 21 Iowa State coming off its most efficient offensive half of the season Friday in a 77-72 win over Florida.The Bulldogs (5-0) erased an 11-point first half deficit by scoring 45 points in the second half, making nearly 61 percent of their shots.Conversely, Iowa State (5-0) used its defense to reach the championship game of the AdvoCare Invitational in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday.In a 73-56 win over Miami, the Cyclones forced the Hurricanes into 19 turnovers and held them to 36 percent shooting from the field, including a 2 of 14 mark from 3-point range.Defensively, we kept keeping on, Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said. We were walling up in the paint. When the shot went up, I thought everybody was attacking the glass.Gonzaga, meanwhile, shot mostly in the 70 percent range for in the second half in their comeback win over Florida.We ended up shooting 60 percent against one of the better defensive teams in the country, not just numbers wise but eye-test-wise, Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.That was an impressive job. There was some blood in the water and they were circling (in the first half), but we were able to put that aside and get back into attack mode.Gonzaga trailed or was tied with Florida for the first 31 minutes of the game.Missouri transfer Johnathan Williams dunked off a feed from Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss to tie it at 57-57. Silas Melson made a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs their first lead, 60-57, with 8:42 remaining.We came into the locker room and had to give ourselves a little gut check, becaause they were out-toughing us and outplaying us in the first half, Melson said.ddddddddddddMelson scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, including two free throws with 22.9 seconds to ice the game.Ive been on him and on him to step up when we need him the most, Few said of Melson. Hes a more confident player this year. I dont think we were shocked by that. Obviously were all rooting or it after what he went through (shooting struggles) last year.He didnt start off the game well. He was extremely tentative. Then he set his feet and played with some pride.Iowa States top shooters, guards Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas, are in need of setting their feet as well. They enter the game making only 31 percent of their shots in two games in the AdvoCare Invitational.Prohm is more concerned about Iowa States mental toughness entering its significant matchup with the Bulldogs. The Cyclones managed to survive against Miami despite committing 20 turnovers.The resilience, leadership and character of our seniors are huge for us, Prohm said. The thing that people question about us -- our toughness and our defense -- I thought that won games for us.Iowa State is looking beyond Sundays game in terms of the magnitude a victory would be come March.We didnt come down here to play for second, third or fourth or fifth place, guard Monte Morris said. We came down here to win it all.Weve put ourselves in position to do that. Were going to be able to get the job done. ' ' '