Serie A Round 28

13 March 2005

CHIEVO	0-1	JUVENTUS
		Olivera 87

These two have had some controversial encounters and this no different. In the second half Pellissier hammered a shot against the underside of the crossbar, the ball bounced over the line and out. No goal. They'll be crying about this in Italy for the next week. Olivera, on as as a second half substitute for guess who? Yes, Del Piero, had an eventful 11 minutes. He fired in the winner after 10 minutes, hooking into the net after an awful clearance by Lanna in a packed penalty area. He was booked for taking his shirt off then sent off following a clash with Potenza. Potenza pushed him in the back, he retaliated by putting two hands around Potenza's throat. Attendance : 24,154 Red Cards : Oliveira 88 (Juventus), Potenza 88 (Chievo) Assist : n/a

ATALANTA	1-0	PARMA
Adriano 79

Attendance : 12,000 Assists : Bernardini (ck)

BOLOGNA	1-1	SIENA
Bellucci 56 (Pen)		Colucci 65 (og)

Hilarious penalty. Manninger rushed off his line with his hands cupped to catch a bouncing ball, he got nowhere near it and Tare went down. Now it was a clear dive but if penalties were awarded for stupidity this was be a stone wall penalty. Bellucci converted and made up for his blunder with a fantastic save from Nervo. Colucci scored the equaliser when he tripped over his own feet while attempting to clear Maccarone's goal bound shot. Attendance : 15,000 Assists : Tare (won pen), n/a

BRESCIA	2-3	LIVORNO
Caracciolo 16 (Pen), 89		Doga 55
		Protti 79 (Pen)
		Danilevicius 84

Caracciolo have Brescia the lead from the penalty spot after Grandoni tried to remove Di Biagio's shirt. Danilevicius headed on Balleri's cross and Doga supposedly volleyed over the line. Danilevicius jumped over Castelazzi as he chased down a cross and shot at an empty net Di Biagio blocked with his chest only to be sent off for handball and he can have no complaints because it looked like handball. Former Serie A top scorer Igor Protti converted. Del Nero, who showed so much potential last season but is lost without Baggio (as are Brescia) tried to start a counter attack but passed straight to Ruotolo who chipped the ball over the top and Danilevicius slammed into the corner. Now I was wondering if this Ruotolo was any relation i.e. son of another Ruotolo who used to play for Genoa in the 90s. Turns out he's no relation, he's the same freaking player and now 38. Brescia won a second penalty for handball and Caracciolo, possibly the worst penalty taker ever, was extremely lucky to score. Once again he shot straight down the middle but this time Amelia punched the ball out instead of fumbling into the net and Caracciolo scored again. Attendance : 9,000 Red Card : Di Biagio 70 (Brescia) Assists : Di Biagio (won pen), Danilevicius, n/a, Ruotolo, n/a

CAGLIARI	3-0	ROMA
Zola 23
Esposito 41
Suazo 48

A Cagliari defender launched a free kick downfield and Ferrari, under pressure from Swayze, headed only as a far as Zola who smacked a right foot shot past Zotti. Cagliari doubled their lead from a corner, Conte connected with Zola's cross and Esposito stabbed the ball over the line. Zola pulled a thigh muscle at the end of the first half. For Cagliari's sake they had better hope it's not serious. Gobbi went through two tackles in midfield before passing wide to Swayze. His finishing was, as usual, crap, he blasted straight at Zotti but his shot had too much pace and bounced into the net. De Rossi was sent off for kicking Swayze. Attendance : 20,000 Red Card : De Rossi 58 (Roma) Assists : n/a, Conte, Gobbi

PALERMO	1-5	UDINESE
Santana 69		Di Michele 29, 37, 54
		Muntari 47
		Iaquinta 82

Iaquinta headed on a corner, Di Michele waited for the ball to drop over his shoulder before volleying between Guardalben's legs. Palermo's failed attempt at playing offside gifted Di Michele a second. Muntari blasted in a third after Di Michele volleyed against the underside of the crossbar. Iaquinta did a Bergkamp style pirouette on the edge of the box then rolled the ball across goal for Di Michele to complete his hat-trick. Santana grabbed a consolation goal thanks to Brienza's determination. Corini lost the ball on the edge of his box and Di Michele passed to Iaquinta who blasted a low shot in off the 'keeper. Palermo's misery was complete when Corini skyed a late penalty. Attendance : 32,000 Assists : Iaquinta, Mauri, n/a, Iaquinta, Brienza, Di Michele

REGGINA	0-2	MESSINA
		Cristante 13
		D'Agostino 41

Messina won a free kick some distance from goal. Parisi swung the ball into the box, Cristante pulled down his marker (Cannarsa) and headed into the net. Total foul. D'Agostino scored with a cracking left foot volley from just inside the box after Messina failed to cut out a cross. In the second half the Reggina supporters started throwing flairs at Messina's goalkeeper Storari, who looks like George Michael with a really, really bad haircut. Referee Morgan De Santis made the teams switch ends so they played the same end in both halves. That's so utterly brilliant I'm surprised no one had thought of it earlier. Attendance : 20,000 Assist : Parisi (fk), n/a


12 March 2005

LECCE	2-2	FIORENTINA
Dalla Bona 28		Jorgensen 47
Vucinic 31		Maggio 66

Dalla Bona gave Lecce the lead with a fantastic free kick which flew in off a post. Ledesma, who has been continually linked with Milan and Juventus, hit a 50 yards pass up to Vucinic who controlled it instantly before poking into the corner. Having thrown away a two goal lead themselves a few weeks ago, Fiorentina came back to grab a point. Ariatti pulled the ball across the face of goal, three defenders missed it, Jorgensen didn't, 2-1. Maggio equalised after Lecce once again came unstuck from a left wing cross. Attendance : 15,695 Assists : Vucinic (won fk), Ledesma, Ariatti, n/a

LAZIO	1-1	INTER
A Filippini 45		Cruz 69

The Lazio supporters held up large $500 dollar bills with Mancini's face on them before the match. Rome's famous circus act, the fabulous The Filippini brothers gave Lazio the lead, Emanuele with the cross for Antonio to head Lazio into the lead at the end of an abysmal first half. Cruz equalised with a bullet header from a Ze Maria cross and Stankovic hammered a half volley against the crossbar. Attendance : 50,000 Red Cards : Giannichedda 56 (Lazio) Assists : E Filippini, Ze Maria