ROMA TRIUMPH IN DERBY

An own goal gives Roma victory in the Rome derby and increases the pressure
on Lazio coach Sven Goran Eriksson. Udinese continue their slide down the
table with a shock defeat at home to Fiorentina. Juve hammer Lecce. Both
Milan clubs have to settle for a draw.


17 DECEMBER 2000

Before the highlights of today's Round A matches the show opened with the
'Di Canio' story. Yesterday during West Ham's match away to Everton,
Di Canio, well placed in front of goal, plucked a cross out of the air to
stop play so that Everton 'keeper Paul Gerrard could receive treatment after
falling awkwardly. The Italian earned himself a well deserved standing ovation
from the home crowd. 

LAZIO				0-1			ROMA
							Negro 69 (og)

Simeone powerfully headed Nedved's free kick at Lupatelli. Cafu humiliated
Nedved and Simeone with some rude ball juggling skills. Delvecchio wasted a
great chance, weakly volleying at Peruzzi. Peruzzi made a spectacular save to
keep out a Batistuta free kick. Peruzzi parried Zanetti's header, Nesta
attempted to clear but smacked the ball against Negro and it bounced off his
chest into the net. Nedved hammered a shot against the underside of the
crossbar. 

Attendance : 80,000


BOLOGNA			0-1			ATALANTA
							Ganz 84

Bologna should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Binotto. Lots of
inaccurate long range shooting from Bologna. Pagliuca made excellent saves
from Ventola and Nappi. The journeymen strikers combined to score the
winning  goal.

Attendance : 25,000
Assist : Nappi


INTER				0-0			BRESCIA

Srnicek made an incredible save from Recoba's perfect free kick. Emmanuelle
Filippini cleared a Blanc header off the line. Vieri wasted a glorious chance,
heading wide inches in front of goal.
 
Attendance : 40,000


PARMA				0-2			VICENZA
							Toni 46, 63

Di Vaio saw his effort cleared off the line, Appiah hammered a shot against
the post. Toni stunned the home side with an excellent goal at the start of
the second half, he spotted Buffon off his line and placed a shot inside the
post from 30yds. Buffon made an excellent save from Zauli before Toni added
another quality goal, he intercepted Torrisi's clearance, skipped Cannavaro's
tackle, dummied Thuram, waited for Buffon to commit himself and lifted the
ball into the roof of the net. Toni's sixth goal in Round A this season. Not
bad for a 23 year old signed from Round B team Treviso.

After clawing their way back into the title picture Parma has lost two
successive games. They have one of the worst attacks in Round A. Amoroso
has been awful.

Attendance : 17,000
Assists : Zauli


LECCE				1-4			JUVENTUS
Giorgetti 70						Inzaghi 12
							Trezeguet 27
							Kovacevic 86
							Zambrotta 92

Inzaghi fouled Savino to get on the end of Zidane's long ball and shot past
Chimenti. To add insult to injury Conticchio was booked for diving in the
box. Trezeguet made the most of an average cross, climbing superbly to head
past Chimenti. Balleri was sent off for verbal abuse. Savino made a fantastic
clearance off the line. Piangarelli flicked on a loose ball and Giorgetti volleyed
past Van der Sar. Kovacevic used his pace(!) to run onto David's through ball
and beat Chimenti with ease. Zambrotta turned and hammered a shot through
a ruck of players after Lecce failed to clear a comer.

Del Piero is out for six weeks with a thigh strain. Ironically in his absence
Juve give their best performance of the season.

Attendance : 26,942
Assists : Pessotto, Davids, Piangarelli
Red Card : Balleri 39 (Lecce)


UDINESE			1-3			FIORENTINA
Jorgensen 9						Chiesa 38
							Sottil 64 (ogl)
							Rui Costa 67

Udinese had already wasted three great chances before Jorgensen headed
them into the lead from Fiore's cross. They wasted more. Chiesa equalised
with a fine strike from the edge of the box. Sottil headed over the bar and at
the other end turned Rui Costa' s cross past his own 'keeper. Turci found
Rui Costa's free with an awful goal kick and was duly punished. Udinese 's
fourth straight loss, having lead Round A a few weeks ago.

Attendance : 18,000
Assists : Fiore


VERONA				1-1			MILAN
Bonazzoli 4						Ambrosini 22

Gattuso's clearance was charged down, Bonazzoli back heeled to Gilardino, 
Abbiati blocked his shot but the ball fell to Bonazzoli and he slotted into an
empty net. Ferron made a fantastic save from a Jose Mari volley. Ambrosini
equalised with a great flick header from Coco's cross. Shevchenko wasted a
100% chance, miss controlling Jose Mari's centre in front of goal. Gilardino
also missed a sitter. Apolloni was sent off for a reckless challenge on
Boban.

Attendance : 15,000
Assist : Coco
Red Card : Apolloni 89 (Verona)


16 DECEMBER 2000

NAPOLI				6-2			REGGINA
Baccin 6							Cozza (Pen) 66
Magoni 20						Mozart 86
Amoruso 32 (Pen)					
Bellucci 56
Troise 72
Jankulowski 83

A morale boasting victory for the struggling Southerners. Baccin got goal
shy Napoli off to a perfect start tapping in from close range following good
work by Bellucci and Pecchia. Magoni blasted a volley against the crossbar,
Nocerino headed the ball back straight to Magoni but this time his volley
flew past Taibi. Amoroso added a third from the penalty spot, awarded for
a foul on Bellucci. For some reason Morabito thought it would be a good idea
to run at his own goal with the ball, Bellucci intercepted and tapped into an
empty net. Cozza pulled one back from the penalty spot, for a foul on
Da Costa. Troise scrambled in his first Round A goal. Jankulowski added a
fifth with an awesome free kick. Poor defending gifted Mozart a second for
the away side.

It's ironic that under the defensive coaching of Mondonico Napoli recorded
their most emphatic victory of the season while under Zeman they struggled
to score.

Attendance : 35,000
Assists : Pecchia, Bellucci, Bogdani


PERUGIA				4-1			BARI
Tedesco 46, 68						Mazzarelli 79
Saudati 69
Tatti 88

The ref decided to give Perugia a helping hand when he sent off Materazzi for
being fouled by Neqrouz, figure that one out. Tedesco made Perugia's
numerical advantage count of the stroke of half time, volleying in a deep
cross. Two goals in two minutes put the result beyond Bari. Tedesco's shot
took a deflection off De Rosa, wrong footing Roccati and Saudati converted
at the second attempt after Roccati dropped his initial shot. Mazzarelli
scored with a wickedly bending free kick. Tatti chipped Roccati for Perugia's
fourth.
 
Attendance : 6,000
Assists : Baiocco,  Mazzarelli, Blasi
Red Card : Materazzi 31 (Perugia)