LATEST NEWS
JUVENTUS 0 - 2 ROMA
First loss of the season for the bianconeri.After half an hour that was quite equilibrated, Batistuta advantages Roma with a free-kick (36'). Juve improving in the final part of the match but it's not enough. Iuliano hits the post and a goal is denied to Trezeguet, than Batistuta is sent off but the giallorossi end the match with Assuncao (48').It was a pity for the Delle Alpi's audience, who prepared a special coreography for this event.Marcello Lippi faces the absences of Montero and Davids with Iuliano and O'Neill. Amoruso, Athirson, Conte and Tudor are still injured. Capello, who leaves on the bench Cafu for Aldair, lines up a 3-5-2 with the pair Batistuta and Totti forwards. The rithm is quite high but the show is of the greatest, A few goal's chances: in the first half an hour only a shot by O'Neill from the distance, and two romanisti' efforts by Batistuta and Totti deserve to be mentioned. There is plenty of yellow cards instead : 4 in 34 minutes, only one for Juventus (O'Neill), three for Roma (Samuel, Batistuta and Aldair).
The balance is broken by a Batistuta's free-kick at the 36' that advantages Roma. Lippi, who sees the team in difficulty not as like the beautiful match in the Champions League tries to make some changes: he puts Nedved more in the centre behind the forwards. It's break time and the bianconeri finish attacking but still loosing.
The second half starts without Tacchinardi, injured, substitutes by Trezeguet. Thus the midfield becomes composed by 3 players with Zambrotta, O'Neill and Nedved, while Del Piero moves behind the forwards Salas and Trezeguet. The first dangerous moving is romanista and comes at the fifth minute, when Buffon is forced to make two saves in a row, the first because of Totti the second of Tommasi, than Batistuta wastes. At the 14' Lippi substitutes O'Neill, that still can not last 90 minutes with Maresca. Others yellow cards are coming: during eleven minutes Totti, Candela and Assuncao.
While Thuram makes good plays in the defence, the bianconeri start to grow: in four minutes they got three chances to score. In all of them there is Nedved's sign who first passes to Trezeguet, but his header goes high, than crosses to Iuliano, whose header hits the post, finally he has a try but is shot is swerved in corner. Juve press and Roma get nervous: after a Maresca's header saved by Antonioli and a ruled out goal by Trezeguet , Batistuta is sent off after a touch with Paramatti, entered in place of Pessotto. Roma remains in ten players, with Totti trying to surprise Buffon, but our goalkeeper answer as he knows. Than the giallorosso captain is substituted by Montella. Juve draw's hunting is continuing but even the last assault by the forwards does not succeed. While Lippi's team attacks Roma scores the second goal: Cafu's cross to Montella, Buffon drives it back, and Assuncao ends the match (0-2)
I HALF:
3': O'Neill's shot is saved
12': Tommasi to Batistuta shot saved
15': Totti's effort is saved
18': Tacchinardi puts it long to Nedved, Zebina anticipates Salas
36': Batistuta on a free-kick advantages (0-1)
II HALF:
5': Totti, saved, Tommasi saved, Batistuta out
18': Zenoni shot goes over the bar
21': Nedved crosses to Trezeguet: his header goes high
23': Nedved's free-kick to Iuliano : his header hits the post
24': Nedved's shot swerved in corner
27': Del Piero to Trezeguet, Antonioli saves
28': Paramatti to Maresca, header saved
29': Del Piero - Salas - Trezeguet, Frenchmen's goal ruled out
31': Totti tira, para Buffon
45': Salas' cross, Trezeguet leaves to Del Piero who shoots high
48': Cafu to Montella, Buffon drives back to Assuncao who scores (0-2)