JUVE HOLD ROMA

Juventus hold leaders Roma to a goal-less draw in the Olympico. Some much
needed joy for Inter who defeat the revelations of the season, Atalanta. Milan
come unstuck at home to lowly Perugia. Lazio bounce back from defeat in the
Rome derby with victory over Bari.


23 DECEMBER 2000

ATALANTA			0-1			INTER
							Seedorf 65

Frey made a fabulous stop from Siviglia, jumping onto his backside and
kicking the ball clear. Ventola shot wide after Frey had parried Donati's
shot. Not to be out done 20 year old Pelizzoli made a incredible save to deny
Recoba. Bellini and Vieri went up for a header, Vieri came down with blood
trickling from his head. This guy is an injury magnet. Inter patched him up
just as ironically another ex Inter striker left the field with injury,
the equally cursed Ventola. Vieri's shot took a deflection off Sukur and
Seedorf arrived to slide the ball in at the near post. Vieri met Seedorf's
free kick by fouling his marker Lorenzini, Pelizzoli somehow managed to tip
his effort onto the post, another contender for save of the season. 

Attendance : 34,000
Assist : Sukur


BRESCIA				2-2			LECCE
Hubner 68, 79 (Pen)					Lucarelli 18, 50

Lucarelli headed in a Vugrinec free kick. Filippini and Piangerelli were sent
off for arguing after both players clattered into each other with wild
challenges. Having made a World Class save from Giorgetti, Srnicek then
literally gave Lecce a two goal lead. He threw the ball at Lucarelli,
Lucarelli passed to Viali, he passed back and Lucarelli made no mistake with
Srnicek out of position. Thick fog then engulfed the stadium. Srnicek made
up for his error with two saves from Lucarelli. Chimenti went up for a cross,
dropped the ball and Springsteen tapped in. Galli was sent off for pushing
Chimenti. Bruce was rugby tackled in the box and stepped up to earn his team
a point from the penalty spot.
 
Attendance : 12,000
Assists : Vugrinec, Viali, Hubner
Red Cards : A Filippini 41 (Brescia), Piangerelli 41 (Lecce), Galli 74 (Brescia)


FIORENTINA			2-0			VERONA
Chiesa 22 (Pen), 50

I don't know what got into Fiorentina but they absolutely pounded Verona in
the opening minutes. Chiesa banged in a penalty awarded for blatant
handball. Ferron made excellent saves from Bressan and Chiesa.

Salvetti butchered Amoruso with a fabulous dummy on the wing, he whipped in
a cross, Bonazzoli headed against the post and Adailton blazed over the
rebound over when standing on the goal-line. Fiorentina wrapped it up on the
counter attack, Nuno Gomes stole a ball deep in his own half, Rui Costa and
Chiesa flew out in support, Gomes to Rui Costa, Rui Costa to Chiesa, 2-0.
Chiesa blew a great chance to claim a hat-trick when hammering a shot
against the post. Three wins in a row for Fiorentina. After a poor start they
are back in the hunt for a Champions League place.

Attendance : 28,000
Assist : Rui Costa


MILAN				1-2			PERUGIA
Shevchenko 25						Saudati 21
							Vryzas 58

Gattuso weakly headed a ball down to donkey king Helveg, he wasted two
chances to clear, Vryzas intercepted and ran into the box, Sala slipped
allowing Vryzas to cut the ball back for Saudati (on loan from Milan) to head
in. He didn't bother to celebrate. Shevchenko and Ambrosini combined for the
equaliser. Leonardo and Jose Mari just failed to meet Maldini's cross.

A similar story in the second half, Jose Mari wasting another great chance,
shooting at Mazzantini. Roque Junior ball watched a pass sail over his
head, Tedesco left him for dead and Vryzas cheekily poked his centre past
Abbiati. Mazzantini punched Leonardo's free kick against Jose Mari. Roque
Junior was lucky to escape a red card when flattening Saudati. Bierhoff
hammered a shot against the post. Mazzantini made a fantastic save from
Serginho and the Brazilian was again denied a certain goal when his scissor
kick was headed off the line. Shevchenko missed a decent chance late on.

Attendance : 50,003
Assists : Vryzas, Ambrosini, Tedesco


NAPOLI				2-2			PARMA
Pecchia 47						Micoud 41
Amoruso 84						Milosevic 74

Sartor whipped the ball into the box, Milosevic hooked it back across goal
and Micoud headed past Mancini. Napoli equalised at the start of the second
half. Junior fouled Amoroso who couldn't resist adding four Klinsmann rolls
as he hit the ground. From the he resulting free kick Pecchia stunned Buffon
with a glorious shot. Torrisi was left with an open goal as Amoroso once
again miss-fired but shot wide. Milosevic scored his first ever Round A goal,
powerfully heading in Conceicao's cross. Parma were punished for horrid
defending from a corner. Cannavaro headed the ball back towards Buffon,
which took some doing given he was facing the opposite direction(!), Amoruso
juggled the ball and blasted a shot towards goal, Buffon got a touch but
couldn't stop the ball rolling into the net.
 
Attendance : 45,000
Assists : Milosevic, Amoruso, Conceicao


REGGINA			1-0			VICENZA
Brevi 75

Toni forced a good save from Taibi and should have headed Vicenza into the
lead from a corner. Reggina woke up and finally started to put pressure on
Sterchele's goal. Oshadagon forced him into a good save from distance and
minutes later headed against the crossbar. Reggina had Firmani to thank for
the three points, he headed straight at Brevi when attempting to clear a
corner and the midfielder poked in his first Round A goal.

Attendance : 23,014


UDINESE			3-1			BOLOGNA
Jorgensen 5, 33 						Signori 75
Fiore 81 (Pen)

Lima fouled the crap out of Jorgensen but he somehow managed to stay
on his feet and steer the ball into the net. Jorgensen beat Pagliuca with an
awesome header. Olive made a mess of a loose ball and Signori blew a
penalty. He made amends by heading in Oliveira's cross but Wome ended
any hopes of comeback with a stupid foul on Giannichedda in the box. Fiore
had no trouble beating Pagliuca but then he's never been known for saving
penalties.

Assists : Alberto, Oliveira, Giannichedda


22 DECEMBER 2000

ROMA				0-0			JUVENTUS

Lupatelli made an excellent save from Conte's header. Totti found
Delvecchio with a beautiful cross but he headed wide. Van der Sar made
another fantastic save from a header, this time to deny Batistuta. Samuel
denied Trezeguet a certain goal with an incredible tackle in the box.
Batistuta had a goal disallowed for offside and Totti wasted the best chance
of the match weakly shooting at Van der Sar when put through by Batistuta!
Lupatelli made a great save from Ferrara's header and the Roma defence just
managed to clear the ball to safety. Davids was harshly sent off for a 'foul'
on Tomassi.

Attendance : 80,000
Red Card : Davids 90


BARI				1-2			LAZIO
Andersson 83 (Pen)					Mihajlovic 50
							Ravanelli 58

Nesta was booked for a foul on Perrotta. He has looked average and downright
awful at times this season following his stellar performances last season and
during Euro 2000. Mihajlovic scored directly from a corner though Osmanovski
may have got a touch on the line. Gillet (22) made a stunning save from a
long range Nedved effort. Ravanelli headed in Pancaro's cross. Marchegiani
should have been sent off for a stupid foul on Osmanovski. Andersson
converted the penalty. Enyinnaya was put clean through, rounded Marchegiani
and weakly shot at goal allowing Negro to clear.

Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Pancaro, Osmanovski