Roma’s record 10-game winning streak to start the Serie A season came to an end Sunday as it was held to a 1-1 draw by Torino, thanks to an equalizer by its former player Alessio Cerci.
Roma was the first Italian club to win its opening 10 matches but fell one game short of equaling the best start in any of the top five European leagues, set by English club Tottenham in 1960-61.
Roma moved three points above Juventus and Napoli, who play each other next week. Inter Milan and newly promoted Hellas Verona are nine points behind.
Roma took the lead in the 28th minute when Federico Balzaretti found Miralem Pjanic on the left side of the area and he cut it back for Kevin Strootman to volley home.
But Torino leveled shortly after the hour mark when Riccardo Meggiorini stole the ball off Mehdi Benatia and crossed for Cerci to sidefoot in from close range.
England
Everton and Tottenham wasted a chance to take sole possession of second place in the Premier League by playing to a 0-0 tie Sunday.
First-place Arsenal leads by five points, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham sharing second. Everton is among three clubs another point back.
Cardiff beat rival Swansea 1-0 in the first Welsh derby in the top tier of English soccer. The game in Wales was played amid a heavy police presence because this rivalry has been blighted by fan violence in recent years.
Swansea fans had to travel to the match on special buses that had a police escort.
The fans did not receive their game tickets until they were aboard one of the buses. There did not appear to be serious trouble at the game.
Spain
Diego Costa and David Villa delivered again for Atletico Madrid, whose Spanish league title charge gained strength with a 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao.
Villa put the hosts ahead after 32 minutes by volleying in Juanfran’s headed-on cross through the crowded area.
Nine minutes later, Koke delivered a perfect ball to Costa, who the cut back to dribble around Erik Moran and fire a low shot beyond goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz. He has 13 goals this season, tied for the league lead.
Bilbao rarely threatened and was reduced to 10 men in the 81st when Moran was shown a second yellow card.
Germany
Augsburg survived a hectic finish to beat Mainz 2-1 at home for its first Bundesliga victory in six games, with the visitors ending the match with a striker in goal.
Andre Hahn scored twice as Augsburg climbed away from the relegation zone and drew even on 13 points with Mainz, which has just four points from its last eight league games. Mainz substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored on a penalty kick in the 59th minute before Augsburg goalkeeper Christian Wetklo was sent off with two minutes remaining for bringing down Arkadiusz Milik outside the penalty area.
France
Nolan Roux scored twice as Lille beat Monaco 2-0 Sunday to leapfrog its opponent into second place in the French league.
Roux scored from close range in the 27th minute before finishing off a counterattack in the 72nd. (AP)
