Dec 20 (Reuters) - Juventus kept themselves in the Serie A Scudetto race with a 2-1 home win over AS Roma on Saturday, with Francisco Conceicao and Lois Openda netting the goals for the home side and Tommaso Baldanzi scoring for the visitors.
With the top three clubs all away at the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, Roma were looking to take advantage and move level on points with leaders Inter Milan. Instead, Juventus moved back into the title hunt, one point behind Roma.
Roma remain fourth in the standings on 30 points, with Juventus fifth. AC Milan are in second place, with Napoli third.
The visitors had a decent chance to take the lead when Paulo Dybala got ahead of his marker and connected with a cross from Wesley at the near post but the former Juventus player failed to keep his effort on target.
Juventus came close near the end of the first half with Conceicao collecting a pass in the area before going around Roma defender Devyne Rensch with ease but putting his shot straight at the keeper.
Openda's follow-up effort was deflected out and, after Roma cleared the resulting corner, Juventus came back on the attack to find the opening goal one minute before halftime.
Andrea Cambiaso's backheeled pass in the box found Conceicao and this time the Portuguese winger made no mistake, making space before driving a low shot into the far bottom corner.
Juventus almost doubled their lead shortly after the break, Kenan Yildiz putting his shot from a wide angle just past the post but with 20 minutes left the hosts found their second goal.
Weston McKennie's header was saved and when the ball came straight back to the American he rolled a pass across to Openda to poke home from close range but the visitors pulled one back five minutes later.
Baldanzi pounced when Michele Di Gregorio parried away Evan Ferguson's shot and Ferguson had another effort saved late on as Roma continue to struggle against the top sides having already lost to Inter, AC Milan and Napoli this season.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
