Inter capitalise on Petruzzi's sending off to hit back from a goal down to thrash
Roma. A last minute penalty by Nakata saves Perugia from defeat against the
leaders Fiorentina. An encouraging start for David Platt as his Sampdoria side
fight back to draw 2-2 at home to Milan. Parma win an 8 goal thriller against
Empoli and Juve secure their first win since early November thanks to a hat-trick
by Inzaghi.

20 December 1998


CAGLIARI			0-1			BOLOGNA
							Signori 50

Signori's hot streak continued with a goal from a free kick. Cagliari created a
stack of chances but couldn't find a way through the defence or Antonioli in
Bologna's goal.


EMPOLI				3-5			PARMA
Pane 9							Crespo 10
Di Napoli 22, 90						Boghossian 48
							Fuser 57, 92
							Fiore 83

A rare defensive mistake by Cannavaro gifted Pane the opening goal. Crespo
headed Parma level from Fuser's cross. Di Napoli scored from Carparelli's cross
but handled the ball en route. The goal stood. In first half injury time Sensini
headed on a corner and Boghossian was on hand to volley Parma level once
again. Sereni saved brilliantly from Balbo's strike, Dino Baggio struck the crossbar
from the rebound and Fuser followed up to put Parma in  front. Parma continued
to profit from Empoli's dire offside trap to go further in front, Fiore grabbed a goal
thanks to a deflection and Fuser scored his second from a tight angle with poor
Balbo waiting in the centre for what would have been a tap-in. Di Napoli's second
was a long ball classic, a huge punt upfield from Empoli's 'keeper, Zalayeta headed
on and Di Napoli half volleyed past Buffon.


JUVENTUS			3-0			SALERNITANA
Inzaghi 20, 30, 87

Pessotto's free kick deflected off Ferrara and Inzaghi pounced. Inzaghi scored an
easy second thanks to Zidane. Ferrara should have been red carded for a criminal
foul on Vanucchi but Monaco was given his marching order for a milder foul on
Davids. Juve racked up the chances, Davids striking the crossbar with an open
goal at his mercy ditto for Inzaghi but he tucked away the rebound. It's rumoured
that Ancelotti will take over at Juve when Lippi leaves for Inter.
 
Red Card(s) : Monaco 52 (Salernitana)


LAZIO				3-1			UDINESE
Mancini 16						Locatelli 5
Salas 55, 92

A brilliant pass from Amoroso left Locatelli with an easy finish. Mihajlovic picked
out Mancini with a 50yd pass, Mancini coolly volleyed past Turci. Mancini seems to
finds volleying a lot easier than the more run of the mill chances. Pineda should
have been sent off for a heinous two footed lunge on Stankovic. Salas scored from
a goalmouth scramble as a Mihajlovic corner caused havoc. His second was a
tap-in following a great counter attack.


PERUGIA				2-2			FIORENTINA
Rapajic 1						Robbiatti 11
Nakata 95 (penalty)					Batistuta 73

Rapajic headed in Ze Maria's cross. Robbiatti curled in a free kick. Batistuta
headed in Oliveira's cross. Perugia were awarded a penalty when Amor handled in
the box, Perugia's second penalty claim for handball.  Nakata converted for a
deserved draw. Scumbag Ravanelli was in the crowd.


PIACENZA			3-2			BARI
Piovani 19						Masinga 36
Stroppa 43						Innocenti 92
Rastelli 90

Inzaghi used his strength to hold off Neqrouz and set-up Piovani for an easy finish.
Masinga played a one-two with Osmanovski and shot Bari level. Stroppa pounced
on a kind deflection to score with a breathtaking volley. Zambrotta seemed to
have scored the equaliser with another fabulous volley  but the goal was
mysteriously disallowed. Zambrotta was sent off for lashing out at Polonia.
Rastelli sealed the points thanks to great play by Stroppa and Piovani. Innocenti
tapped in from close range after Mancini had pulled off a great save from
Bressan's header. Bari deserved a point.

Red Card(s) : Zambrotta (Bari)


SAMPDORIA			2-2			MILAN
Palmieri 57						Leonardo 39
Ortega 86						Bierhoff 73

Leonardo gave Milan the lead with a clever chip following a terrible mistake by
Sakic and great play by Bierhoff. Palmieri headed in Balleri's cross. Bierhoff
smashed a header past Ferron following a brilliant interception and cross by
substitute N'Gotty who came on in place of Albertini in midfield. Ortega rescued
a scarcely deserved point for Samp with a free kick won thanks to a dive by
Palmieri. Boban was sent off for diving which was a bizarre  decision given Ortega
and Palmieri were going down like cheap whores and given some of the tackling.
Bierhoff wasted two gifts at the end of the second half both within the space
of a minute. Weah also blew easy chances in each half. Milan should have wrapped
up the game by half time, they were by far the best team, the pressing was
superb, the best I've seen by a Milan team in a longtime, even Albertini and
Leonardo were tackling back and Albertini's passing was excellent for a change.
Sala shone in what was a  great defensive display until the 57th minute. Helveg
played his best game in a Milan shirt, he was particularly impressive in attack.
Ziege gave a good performance defensively but he still doesn't give anything to
Milan in attack. A good start for David Platt.

Red Card(s) : Boban (Milan)


VICENZA				0-0			VENEZIA

Vicenza had a goal disallowed for a foul on Taibi. The match was as bad as the
scoreline suggests.


INTER				4-1			ROMA
Cauet 58						Paulo Sergio 37
Zamorano 77
Baggio 86
Zanetti 88

Despite a great start by Inter it was Roma who took the lead. Paulo Sergio played
a one-two with Totti, Pagliuca came out for the ball and made a complete mess
leaving Paulo Sergio with a tap-in. Pagliuca spilled another shot from Paulo Sergio
but somehow managed to claw the ball away as it trickled it's way towards goal.
With Inter's defence in disarray Delvecchio was gifted a one on one with Pagliuca
but blew a golden chance. Roma continued to threaten in the second half until
Baggio came on for Djorkaeff. He played in Ronaldo with a great through pass but
the Brazilian was denied by a fortunate save from Chimenti. A superb pass from
Baggio was killed brilliantly by Colonnese in the box and he crossed for Cauet to
volley in at the far post, awesome goal. Baggio struck the post from a free kick
and then got Petruzzi sent off with a shameful dive. Even Ray Charles could see
it was a dive but the ref and linesman couldn't. Simeone picked out Zamorano with
another brilliant pass, Zamorano killed the ball beautifully before chipping past
Chimenti. Baggio scored with a tap-in thanks to a powerful run by Zanetti and a
super pass from Pirlo. Zanetti lashed in Inter's fourth with, you guessed it, Baggio
supplying the pass. By far Inter's best performance of the season but you can't
help think Petruzzi's sending off had a significant bearing on the scoreline if not
the result.

Red Card(s) : Petruzzi 72 (Roma)