ROMA CHAMPIONS! VICENZA AND NAPOLI RELEGATED, REGGINA AND VERONA
IN SERIE A PLAY-OFF

17 JUNE 2001

BRESCIA				3-1			BARI
Tare 12, 36						Poggi 9
Hubner 65

There was nothing at stake for either club so it was surprising to see such
a competitive match. Poggi gave relegated Bari an early lead with a cool
finish. La Fortezza picked him out with a cross, he waited for the ball to
bounce and as Srnicek came off his line, lifted the ball into the net. Three
minutes later Tare headed Brescia level from Diana's cross and they combined
to give Brescia the lead with an identical goal. Hubner put the finishing
touches on a great season for Brescia with his 17th of the season. The match
was briefly held up by a freak hail storm!

Tare position is supposedly under threat from the expected arrival of
Bierhoff. Preferring Bierhoff in attack ahead of Tare would be a huge
mistake.

Attendance : 13,000
Assists : La Fortezza, Diana (x2), Antonio Filippini
 

FIORENTINA			1-2			NAPOLI
Nuno Gomes 83						Amoruso 48
							Edmundo 95

The Fiorentina players came out with purple hair. Well that was the idea.
Amoruso brilliantly chested a deep cross to Pecchia, Pecchia returned the
ball and the former Juve striker smashed it into the top corner. Nuno Gomes
equalised with a spectacular volley but Edmundo upstaged him by scoring an
even more spectacular winner. He beat three player with superb dummies and
crashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. If he was two years
younger Napoli would still be in Round A but he isn't and they're not.

Attendance : 27,000
Assists : Pecchia, Chiesa, ?


INTER				2-1			BOLOGNA
Seedorf 35						Cipriani 78
Vieri 44

Pagliuca made a fantastic save from a Recoba shot but Seedorf whacked in the
rebound. Vieri gave Inter 5th place with a powerful first time strike from
Recoba's centre. Cipriani pulled one back but Inter were never in danger.

Attendance : 1,000?
Assists : Recoba, Maresca
				

JUVENTUS			2-1			ATALANTA
Trezeguet 5						Nappi 85
Tacchinardi 63

Trezeguet continued his great form with another superb goal, a bullet header
from Tudor's cross. Zidane was substituted for Inzaghi mid-way through the
first half. Presumably because of injury. A phenomenal 30yd volley from the
much improved Tacchinardi sealed 2nd place.

There was a pitch invasion 30 minutes into the second half and when fans
broke down a fence it threatened to get ugly. Juve general manager Roberto
Bettega took the mic and calmed everyone down and the match re-started after
15 minutes of chaos. Nappi pulled a goal back thanks to Van der Sar's
wretched handling. Juve were never in trouble, not that it would have
mattered.

Attendance : 45,000
Assists : Tudor, Del Piero, ?


LECCE				2-1			LAZIO
Vasari 47, 73						Crespo 45 (Pen)

Peruzzi made a fantastic save from Viali's free kick. Viali has been one of
the revelations of the season. Ingesson, who missed a penalty last week,
floored Crespo in the box with a clumsy challenge but no penalty. The ref,
realising the error of his ways, then awarded one when Nedved took a 'look,
I've been shot in the back' dive in the box. Crespo scored his 26th league
goal from the spot sealing the Capocannoniere title (top scorer).

A second half fight back secured Round A survival for the home team. Vasari
rifled Vugrinec's pass into the roof of the net. Chimenti made a fantastic
save from Derby bound Ravanelli. Peruzzi kept out another free kick but this
time Vasari was on hand to turn in the rebound.

Attendance : 30,200
Assists : Nedved, Vugrinec


REGGINA			2-1			MILAN
Morabito 77						Kaladze 69
Da Costa 81

Kaladze gave Milan the lead with a great  left foot strike. Reggina suddenly
spurred on by the fact that they were heading into Round B attacked like
madmen. They were rewarded 8 minutes later when Morabito fired Stovini's
centre past Abbiati and Da Costa earned Reggina a play-off with Verona when
he pounced on Chamot's horrendous back pass.

Shevchenko had several chances and struck the crossbar with a free kick.

Attendance : 26,000
Assists : Comandini, Stovini


ROMA				3-1			PARMA
Totti 19							Di Vaio 82
Montella 39
Batistuta 78

Roma were quick into their stride. Montella (yes he started!) dragged a shot
wide of the post and Paolo Cannavaro (younger brother of Fabio) made a
brilliant goal-line clearance from Totti's free kick. Totti smashed Roma into
the lead with a ferocious first time strike from Candela's centre. He was
helped greatly by Montella who took out a defender with a clever dummy.
Montella and Batistuta went close before combining for Roma's second. Cafu
released Batistuta with  a ball over the top, the Parma defence were nowhere.
Buffon's parried Batistuta's shot but Montella knocked in the rebound.
Antonioli made a great save from the feet of Milosevic and Di Vaio blazed
the rebound high over the bar. Buffon made an awesome save from Batistuta
as the first half drew to a close.

Dodgy ref Braschi disallowed a superb goal by Montella for offside. Braschi
is as bent as they come. Montella picked out Batistuta with a glorious
cross field pass, he turned inside Fabio Cannavaro before crashing as shot
inside the post. Montella was substituted for Nakata. Both should have
started. Di Vaio scored his 15th of the season late in the second half. Fans
stormed the pitch and stripped the Roma players of their underwear. The
players went into the tunnel and came back 10 minutes later fully clothed
and played out time.

Attendance : 75,000
Assists : Candela, Montella, Falsini


UDINESE			2-3			VICENZA
Sosa 31, 37						Kallon 1, 11 (Pen)
							Zauli 20

Kallon showed great strength to hold off the man mountain Gargo and fire
Vicenza into the lead from a tight angle. He then displayed the same gravity
defying strength by throwing himself onto the floor under a non challenge
from Sottil. Kallon converted the penalty. Zauli picked up the ball on the
left flank, ran 50yds, through several players and squeezed a shot inside the
post. Not as great as it sounds as the Udinese players parted like he had the
plague. Muzzi pounced on a hospital pass and picked out Sosa with a super
cross, 1-3.  Minutes later Sosa grabbed a second with another header.
Iaquinta had a goal disallowed for offside but it wouldn't have mattered as
results elsewhere meant Vicenza were down.

Attendance : 23,000
Assists : Sommese, Kallon, ?, Muzzi, Manfredini


VERONA				2-1			PERUGIA
Seric 22							Tedesco 52
Salvetti 70

Mazzantini handed Verona a lifeline in their quest for Round A survival with
probably the worst mistake in his entire career. Seric tried his luck from
35yds. Mazzantini tried to catch the ball, missed, and it rolled under his
legs into the net. The ref decided to dream up two red cards. Liverani
gave hatchet man Apolloni a love tap with his head. Apolloni gave his best
Oscar winning performance and the ref gave both of them a red card.

Tedesco sneaked in at the back post to poke Ze Maria's free kick past Ferron.
Mazzantini made a freak save from Cossato's header but Salvetti volleyed
in the rebound.

Attendance : 25,000
Red Cards : Apolloni 35 (Verona), Liverani 35 (Perugia)
Assists : L Colucci, Ze Maria