22 March 2006
 
CAGLIARI 0-0

FIORENTINA
     
Attendance : 8,000
Assist : n/a
 
 
19 March 2006
     
ROMA 2-1

MESSINA
Perrotta 7  

Di Napoli 68
Aquilani 56    
     
Panucci tempted George off his line with a fantastic cross which he got nowhere near
and Perrotta thumped a header into the net. Roma midfielder Alvarez was serving up
a string of high quality crosses which his team-mates kept spurning. In a moment of
great sportsmanship De Rossi talked the ref into disallowing a goal after he pointed out
he used to hand to score. Alberto Aquilani, who was off the charts awesome in
Championship Manager 5 (I don't play the new versions) scored an outstanding second
goal. He picked up the ball in the midfield then slowed down before striking the ball in
a free kick like fashion sending it curling over the 'keeper into the bottom corner. I've
always wondered why free kick specialists never try that in normal play. Di Napoli got
Messina back in the match after a mistake by Curci. Messina threatened an equaliser
before Roma moved up a gear and ran out comfortable winners.

Attendance : 30,000
Assists : Panucci, Bovo, Floccari
 
 
CHIEVO 4-1

SIENA
Obinna 4 (Pen)  

Foglio 29 (Pen)
Malago 56    
Brighi 67    
Amauri 82    
     
You know how people say that if refs took the letter of the law and punished pushing
in the box there would be a dozen penalties in every match? Well Palanca was one of
those refs he's also one of those refs you question of being on the take.

Both penalties were ridiculous though there is no logical reason as to why Scurto
remained on the field for his push on Bogdani while Tudor walked inside the first
minute. Despite substituting Chiesa for a defender, Siena created more chances but
fell behind for a second time when Malago's cross sailed over Chimenti and dropped
into the back of the net. Plonker's extreme charity to the home side continued,
Brighi should have been sent off for a studs up challenge on Legrottaglie on the edge
of the box but as the defender lay writhing on the ground, Brighi waltzed through a
defence waiting in vain for the ref to stop play and tapped in a third. Paro was sent off
chopping down Brighi and Amauri wasted two chances before making it third time
lucky.

Attendance : 5,300
Red Cards : Tudor 1 (Siena), Paro 70 (Siena)
Assists : Tiribocchi (won pen), Bogdani (won pen), Luciano, n/a, Tiribocchi
 
 
FIORENTINA 3-1

ASCOLI
Paci 53 (og)  

Domizzi 42
Toni 83    
Pazzini 89    
     
The first two goals were deflections. Domizzi's goal-bound header took a slight
deflection off Kroldrup but there's no way Brocchi's speculative shot was heading
anywhere near goal with Paci's intervention. While Toni has been Fiorentina's main
source of goals this season Pasquale has been the supply line and, with a hint of
handball, Pazzini headed on the defenders cross for Toni to score goal number 24.
Pazzini headed in a third from a Fiore corner.

The record for most goals in 'recent' seasons is 27 (Bierhoff in 1998) so Toni should
beat that but has no chance of beating the 35 goal tally set by Nordahl in 1950.

Attendance : 31,100
Red Card : Comotto 76 (Ascoli)
Assists : n/a, n/a, Pazzini, Fiore (ck)
 
 
INTER 3-1

LAZIO
Figo 36  

Pandev 54
Recoba 46, 72  

 
     
Figo was proving more of a threat to the Lazio goal than Adriano and having gone
close on a number of occasions, he recovered from a heavy first touch to give Inter
the lead. Recoba, who made Figo's goal with a excellent cross, intercepted Oddo's
hospital pass to score a rare headed goal. Pandev threatened a comeback against his
former club when he volleyed in a deflected cross but despite Adriano, Inter were a
constant threat and Recoba made sure of the points after Veron ripped a hole in the
Lazio defence with a perfectly weighted through pass.

Inter's first win over Lazio at the San Siro in 13 years. Signing half the Lazio team -
Veron, Stankovic, Cesar, Mihajlovic, Favalli and of course Mancini probably helped.
If you can't beat them, buy them.

Attendance : 55,000
Assists : Recoba, n/a, n/a, Veron
 
 
LECCE 1-2

PARMA
Vucinic 95 (Pen)  

Bresciano 53
   

Simplicio 90
     
The match was suspended for a few minutes after flares were thrown on the pitch.
Parma's recent good form owes much to Bresciano and Marchionni and both players
combined for the opener though they were aided greatly by Lecce's stupid offside
trap. Bucci made a series of fantastic saves before Simplicio burst through the Lecce
defence, skipped a few tackles and shot inside a post. Vucinic converted an absolute
gift of a penalty.

Parma seem to have won every six pointer they've played this season. They look safe
which is a hell of an achievement given how hopeless their strikers (Delvecchio and
Corradi) are.

Attendance : 10,300
Assists : Marchionni, Morfeo, Vucinic (won pen)
 
 
REGGINA 0-2

EMPOLI
   

Pozzi 62
   

Tavano 84
     
Tavano , who has come back into form after a barren spell, dribbled his way into the
box from the left wing and Franceschini deflected his cross against Pozzi and the ball
bounced off his knee into the net. Busce should have done better after Tavano found
him with a Rui Costa style blind lob. Tavano stripped the ball off Franceschini, who
was dithering on the edge of his box, went past two players and from the most
ridiculous of angles hammered the ball into the roof of the net. Unbelievable shot.

Attendance : 13,000
Assists : n/a, n/a
 
 
SAMPDORIA 0-2

PALERMO
   

Mutarelli 57
   

Di Michele 66
     
Samp wasted a staggering amount of chances and Palermo looked hung over from
their mid-week UEFA Cup exit then completely out of the blue took the lead.
Caracciolo headed down Barone's cross and Mutarelli struck a left foot volley just as
the ball was about to hit the ground and it screamed into the top left corner.
Di Michele picked up a loose ball and curled a shot beyond Antonioli.

That's five losses in a row for Samp, Novellino is in big trouble and next week they're
away to Lazio.

Attendance : 22,000
Assists : Caracciolo, Grosso
 
 
UDINESE 0-4

MILAN
   

Shevchenko 42, 65
   

Gilardino 61
   

Seedorf 71
     
De Sanctis miss controlled a back pass and, under pressure from Gilardino, passed the
ball straight to Shevchenko, 0-1. Gilardino, who had an excellent goal disallowed for
offside, collected a superb 40 yard pass from Costacurta before firing into the corner,
ironically this goal was also offside. Shevchenko played a one-two with Gilardino
before skipping Zapata's challenge and steering the ball into the corner. Gilardino laid
off Pirlo's pass for Seedorf to complete the rout.

Shevchenko (18) and Gilardino (16) are on course for 20 league goals this season.
Inzaghi has 10 despite not playing regularly and Kaka' is in on 8. If it wasn't for the
damn defence....

Attendance : 19,000
Assists : n/a, Costacurta, Gilardino, Gilardino
 
 
18 March 2005
 
TREVISO 1-2

CAGLIARI
Baseggio 23  

Esposito 10
   

Suazo 76 (Pen)
     
Cagliari's three man attack combined for the first goal. Suazo laid the ball off to
Langella and his perfect low cross was turned in by Esposito. Baseggio intercepted
a clearance and beat Chimenti with a low shot. Esposito's theatrics won Cagliari a
penalty.

Treviso are 15 points from safety. This side sucks major balls.

Attendance : 3,796
Assists : Langella, n/a, Esposito
 
 
LIVORNO 1-3

JUVENTUS
Pfertzel 52  

Trezeguet 3, 53
   

Del Piero 94
     
Trezeguet put the finish on a one-touch passing move involving Del Piero, Nedved and
Giannichedda with a deft flick. Giannichedda was hurried into a clearance and blasted
the ball against Pfertzel, Lucarelli made sure Giannichedda didn't recover and Pfertzel
flicked the ball past Thuram as he tried to hack clear and struck a low shot which
Buffon failed to hold. Livorno's offside trap and Vargas' untimely slip allowed
Trezeguet to restore Juve's lead. Mutu's super pass was finished off by Del Piero who
has now replaced the wildly misfiring Ibrahimovic as first choice partner for Trezeguet.

Attendance : 15,611
Assists : Giannichedda, Lucarelli, Nedved, Mutu
 
 
R Mehdi