28 November 2004 INTER 2-2 JUVENTUS Vieri 79 Zalayeta 53 Adriano 85 Ibrahimovic 66 (Pen) The highlight of the first half was James Richardson reading out my e-mail on British Eurosport : 'Serie A's advantage over the Premiership and La Liga was the fact that there were only 18 teams. 20 teams just increases the mediocrity'. The esteemed panel of David Platt and Gabriele Marcotti agreed. Juventus took the lead when Nedved's speculative shot deflecting in off Zalayeta. A fantastic pass from Camoranesi sent Zalayeta clear on goal, Toldo flattened him, penalty but only a yellow. I still want to know why Dida was sent off after 10 minutes in week one yet most other 'keepers committing similar fouls have remained on the pitch. Ibrahimovic just about converted and 0-2 down against Juventus you'd think surely this time there would be no way back for Inter. Mancini immediately substituted Davids, who faded after a good first half for Recoba and Van der Meyde for Vieri. Needless to say the gamble paid off. An absolutely magnificent pass from Recoba was brilliantly half volleyed into the bottom corner by Vieri, his eighth against Buffon. Inter's three strikers combined for the equaliser. Vieri passed out wide to Martins, he floated a cross towards the back post, Thuram flung himself at the ball but missed, Adriano didn't, 2-2. Inter almost snatched the points at the death when Buffon dropped a corner but his defence bailed him out. Match of the season. Attendance : 78,741 Assists : Nedved, Zalayeta (won pen), Recoba, Martins ATALANTA 0-1 REGGINA Paredes 12 Attendance : 10,000 Assists : n/a BOLOGNA 0-0 LECCE Attendance : 21,000 Assists : n/a BRESCIA 0-2 PALERMO Zauli 10 Brienza 24 Toni, who is Palermo's attack, didn't get on the score sheet today but made both goals. The first with a pass around a defender, brilliantly finished by Zauli and the second with a lay-off from Corini's free kick. Attendance : 10,000 Assists : Toni (x2) CHIEVO 0-1 MILAN Crespo 50 Attendance : 25,000 Assist : n/a LAZIO 2-3 CAGLIARI Pandev 8 Langella 34 Oddo 80 (Pen) Esposito 65 Zola 71 Katergiannakis, the second Greek 'keeper in Serie A, parried Couto's header straight to Macedonian striker Pandev and he scored his first Serie A goal before getting a yellow card for removing his shirt. Oddo and Couto parted like the red sea, allowing Langella in to score the equaliser. Peruzzi was sent off for bringing down Esposito just outside the box when his defence played offside on a longball over the top, which is always a great tactic. Normally I would say a card is preferable to conceding but not when you're a goalkeeper It didn't take long for Cagliari to make their numerical advantage count. Zola sent Langella clear with a toe poke down the left flank and he pulled the ball back to Esposito who held off Lopez to score. A similar move gave Cagliari their third, this time Zola got on the end of a pass and smashed the ball into the roof of the net. Inzaghi Jr had a big chunk of Maltagliati's shirt as he fell, clear penalty. Oddo converted but Lazio couldn't find a third. Attendance : 35,000 Red Card : Peruzzi 57 (Lazio) Assists : n/a, Conti, Langella, Gobbi, Inzaghi (won pen) MESSINA 1-1 FIORENTINA Parisi 69 (Pen) Ariatti 54 Ariatti scored a freak goal. He ran onto a pass down Fiorentina's left and tried his luck with a shot from an improbable angle, as he shot he did a thigh muscle ball and the ball flew into the top corner, beating Eleftheropulos at his near post. The Italian commentator called Messina's penalty 'molto dubbio', no guesses for what that means. Amoruso must have learned from former Juventus team-mate Inzaghi as he pulled himself down with the aid of defender Viali's shirt. Parisi slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Attendance : 32,000 Assists : Fantini, Amoruso (won pen) SAMPDORIA 1-0 PARMA Flachi 94 (Pen) Attendance : 22,000 Assist : Flachi (won pen) 27 November 2004 LIVORNO 1-2 UDINESE Lucarelli C 65 (fk) Iaquinta 13 Di Michele 53 Iaquinta gave Udinese the lead with a cracking shot on the turn although he was left unmarked in the box following a failed offside trap. Udinese scored a deserved second, having wasted numerous chances, when Di Michele controlled Pinzi's knockdown with his arm before lashing the ball into the roof of the net. Lucarelli scored with a brilliant free kick and Udinese survived a second half onslaught to go three points clear in third place. Attendance : 15,000 Assists : Di Natale, Pinzi, C Lucarelli (won fk) SIENA 0-4 ROMA Montella 58, 68 Totti 71, 90 Cassano, possibly realising throwing tantrums isn't going to earn him a move away from Roma, was outstanding in this match, making all four goals. A perfectly weighted cross from the left was headed in by Montella and 'the little aeroplane' scored his 11th of the season with a simple tap-in after Cassano flicked back Panucci's header. Totti finished off a rapid counter attack to score Roma's third. Cassano skipped a tackle in midfield and played in his captain with a reverse pass, Totti finished off the scoring with a lob over the onrushing Fortin. Let's hope Cassano plays like this against Real Madrid. Attendance : 20,000 Assists : Cassano (x4) R Mehdi |