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Pellissier hat-trick dents Juve's hopes

  • Story Highlights
  • Juventus' Italian title hopes are knocked after a 3-3 home draw against Chievo
  • Sergio Pellissier scores hat-trick for the visitors, the third coming in injury time
  • Leaders Inter Milan won 1-0 at Udinese and extended advantage to nine points
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(CNN) -- Juventus suffered a setback in their hopes of catching Inter Milan at the top of the Serie A table after they were held to a 3-3 home draw by improving Chievo on Sunday.

Chievo players celebrate their last-gasp equalizer in the 3-3 draw at Juventus on Sunday.

Chievo players celebrate their last-gasp equalizer in the 3-3 draw at Juventus on Sunday.

Sergio Pellissier scored a hat-trick for the visitors --the third coming in injury time -- and Inter later extended their title advantage to nine points with a 1-0 win at Udinese.

An own goal from Mauricio Isla gifted Inter victory, but coach Jose Mourinho refuses to accept the race is over with eight games still to go.

"We know that nine points with eight matches left is a big lead," said Mourinho whose side face Juve in two weeks. "We're more comfortable and there's a little bit more pressure on Juve.

"Of course they're not happy because they've dropped two points at home. We didn't win the title tonight, we know that we need 15 points more which means five wins, which we should be able to achieve."

Pellissier opened the scoring in the 25th minute for Chievo after rounding goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon but Juve central defender Giorgio Chiellini levelled with a superb left-foot volley.

However, Chievo went into the interval leading 2-1 after Pellissier again found space to shoot across Buffon in the 44th minute.

There was a touch of luck about Juve's second equalizer when Mauro Camoranesi header across goal came off three different Chievo defenders before trickling over the line.

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Juve looked to have won it 11 minutes from time when Camoranesi crossed to the back post where Vicenzo Iaquinta continued his recent goalscoring run by heading across goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino.

But Chievo snatched a well-deserved point at the death as Pellissier met Antonio Langella's deep cross at the back post with a firm header.

For Chievo it continued their remarkable recent run that has not seen them lose since February, when they were bottom of the table.

In the day's late game AC Milan scored two injury time goals to beat lowly Lecce 2-0 and keep their grip on third place.

Genoa remain ahead in the race for fourth position as a late goal from Brazilian Thiago Motta earned them a 1-0 win at rock bottom Reggina.

Fiorentina remain on Genoa's heels, just two points behind, as Alberto Gilardino scored a late winner in a 2-1 success at 10-man Atalanta.

Atalanta had led 1-0 through substitute Gianvinto Plasmati's deflected strike four minutes into the second half but the dismissal of Federico Peluso proved decisive.

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