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Carlo Ancelotti’s men went into the match knowing that a win would be vital to keep the pressure on leaders Roma and make sure that the gap did not widen. On the team front, the Bianconeri had to make do without influential slipper Antonio Conte and the suspended Alessio Tacchinardi. In came Uruguayan playmaker Fabian O’Neill for only his second start of the season.

Juventus began brightly with Gianluca Zambrotta shooting from outside the area on six minutes, his left-foot shot not causing Pagliuca any problems. The Delle Alpi fans did not have to wait much longer for their team to open the scoring: it was a goal made in France with the mercurial Zinedine Zidane crossing from the left, finding team-mate David Trezeguet who headed past Pagliuca into the left corner of the goal.

It was the perfect start for the Bianconeri who went in search for more, Trezeguet this time foiled at the last by Pagliuca only two minutes later. On 22 minutes Filippo Inzaghi’s header from a Zidane cross just shaved the crossbar. Two minutes later and the magnificent Zidane tried a cheeky lob from just inside the opposition half but Pagliuca read the situation and recovered his ground to claim.

With half an hour gone, Fabian O’Neill got in on the act dribbling a Bologna defender and shooting just wide. Four minutes later Zambrotta saw his header cleared off the line by Rossoblù defender Piacentini from a Zidane corner. The half was to end with the Turin side a goal to the good in what had been one-way traffic with the Bianconeri having the lion’s share of possession and Zinedine Zidane showing just why he was voted FIFA World Player of the Year.

Both sides came out unchanged for the second half. Bologna, however, reminded the home side that they were not just there to make up the numbers as early as the fourth minute, but former Bologna man Michele Paramatti made a fine tackle to thwart Lima. David Trezeguet had a gilt-edged opportunity to make it two on the quarter-hour but with the outside of his foot only managed to clip the crossbar with only Pagliuca to beat having been put clean through by the brilliance of Zidane.

Juventus were maintaining their attacking thrust with Edgar Davids shooting high into the stands from a Pippo Inzaghi pass. On the half-hour manager Carlo Ancelotti made a straight swap with Croatian defender Igor Tudor coming on for Paramatti and four minutes later Darko Kovaceic came on for Inzaghi.

High drama was to ensue at the Delle Alpi as the visitors were then awarded a penalty for a handball by the substitute Igor Tudor. Argentine centre-forward Julio Cruz stepped up and blasted the spot-hick high above Van Der Sar’s crossbar to the relief of the Juve fans and spared the blushes of the Croatian international.

Carlo Ancelotti then took off his goalscorer Trezeguet with two minutes to go and brought on a defender in Alessandro Birindelli to preserve their one goal lead. Indeed, the French striker’s goal on 12 minutes was to prove enough and gave the Bianconeri a precious three points. Further good news was to come from the Olimpico where Roma were held to a 1-1 draw by Bari, thus reducing Juventus’s deficit to six points.

JUVENTUS 1-0 BOLOGNA (HT 1-0)

Scorer Trezeguet 12
Carded No yellow cards brandished
Sent off Guidolin 27 (for protesting)

JUVENTUS (4-3-1-2) Van der Sar; Paramatti (Tudor 76), Montero, Iuliano, Pessotto; Zambrotta, O’Neill, Davids; Zidane; Inzaghi (Kovacevic 80), Trezeguet (Birindelli 89)
Subs not used Carini, Ferrara, Brighi, Rigoni
Manager Ancelotti

BOLOGNA (3-5-2) Pagliuca; Falcone, Padalino, Castellini; Brioschi, Piacentini, Maresca (Olive 55), Lima, Wome (Oliveira 64); Locatelli (Cipriani 76), Cruz
Subs not used Coppola, Gamberini, Bia, Galli
Manager Guidolin