Benevento continue historic losing streak

Serie A side currently on worst-ever start in Europe’s top five leagues with consecutive 14 defeats

MILAN: Benevento saw their historic losing start to the Serie A season, the worst-ever by a team in one of Europe's leading leagues, extended to 14 games with a 1-0 defeat at Atalanta on Monday.

Bryan Cristante's low drive in the 75th minute was enough to break rock-bottom but committed Benevento's resistance and take inconsistent Atalanta into 10th place, level on 19 points with Torino.

Benevento went past Manchester United's 12-game losing start, a record established 87 years ago, on November 19 when a stoppage-time Federico Peluso strike saw Sassuolo snatch a 2-1 win at Benevento's Stadio Ciro Vigorito.

The southern club's owner Oreste Vigorito said witches were to blame for Benevento's rotten luck and they were narrowly defeated again after another solid performance.

Striker Samuel Armenteros wasted the best chance of the game five minutes before the break when he headed a fine Lorenzo Venuti cross weakly at Atalanta stopper Andrea Consigli.

Cristante punished the away side with his well-placed shot that left them wondering where their first points will come from.