Petagna brace lifts SPAL to 2nd in Serie A

Milan - Italian international Andrea Petagna scored a second-half brace as SPAL moved up to second place in Serie A behind Juventus with a 2-0 win over Atalanta on Monday.

Petagna -- who joined SPAL two years ago on loan from Atalanta with an option to buy -- turned in a rebound after 50 minutes, adding a second six minutes later.

Ferrara-based club SPAL were promoted back into Serie A after a 49-year absence in May 2017.

But they struggled last season only ensuring top flight survival on the final day of action.

"We can now say we're a Serie A club," said Petagna. "We're doing well and we want to keep going like this."

SPAL move second three points behind seven-time reigning champions Juventus with nine points from four games.

The side from Emilia Romagna have the tightest defence in the league this season with just one goal conceded -- in their only defeat last week to Torino.

Juventus have already conceded four goals in as many games.