Juve overcome off-pitch issues to beat Parma

Milan: Juventus showed they have not been affected by off-the-pitch issues as they beat Parma 2-0 in their Serie A opener on Saturday. Stephan Lichtsteiner scored nine minutes into the second half and Andrea Pirlo doubled his team's tally four minutes later to get Juve's title defense off to a winning start.

Assistant coach Massimo Carrera was standing in for coach Antonio Conte, who was banned for 10 months for failing to report match-fixing during the 2010-11 season, when he was coach of then-Serie B team Siena. In the earlier game, a last-minute strike from Stevan Jovetic saw Fiorentina come from behind to snatch a 2-1 win against Udinese.

Juventus had a poor first half, capped off by missing a penalty in the 34th minute after Parma goalkeeper Antonio Mirante brought down Lichtsteiner. It was a somewhat harsh penalty as replays showed Lichtsteiner had been offside. Mirante redeemed himself by saving Arturo Vidal's poor spot kick.

Juve looked a changed side after the break and took the lead when Lichtsteiner tucked in Kwadwo Asamoah's low cross from close range. The Serie A champion doubled their lead when Mirante appeared to have saved Pirlo's free kick on the line but the referee ruled that the ball had gone in.

Juve then had goalkeeper Marco Storari to thank for not allowing Parma back into the game. The only dark spot for the champions was the sight of new signing Sebastian Giovinco stretchered off shortly before full time. Elsewhere, a Jovetic brace helped Fiorentina beat Udinese.

Maicosuel scored in his first league game for Udinese to give them the lead but Jovetic leveled midway through the second period and snatched the winner in stoppage time. Host Fiorentina were in complete control in the second half and Udinese clearly missed Kwadwo Asamoah, Mauricio Isla and goalkeeper Samir Handanovic, who were all sold in the offseason.

Udinese also had one eye on the return leg of its Champions League playoff against Braga. Udinese coach Francesco Guidolin opted to rest star striker and captain Antonio Di Natale.