Batistuta and Ronaldo return to league action but are overshadowed by Recoba
and Leonardo respectively. Lazio fail to take advantage of other results involving
the title contenders as they draw away to Empoli. Veron inspires Parma to victory
over Bari and Juve continue their climb up the table with a victory over Udinese.

13 March 1999

JUVENTUS			2-1			UDINESE
Fonseca 30						Sosa 47
Inzaghi 77

Turci went off injured and was replaced by Wapenaar. The buck toothily
challenged Fonseca gave Juve the lead with a header from Di Livio's cross. Juve
screwed up clearing Geneaux's cross, Poggi was quick to react and floated a great
cross for Sosa to head Udinese level. Rampulla was sent off for handling outside
the box and De Ascentis came on in his place. It didn't effect Juve as the
continued to bomb forward, Davids missed an open goal, Inzaghi was denied by
a great save from Wapenaar but won the match with a close range volley from
Davids'  corner.

Red Card(s) : Rampulla 64 (Juventus)
Attendance : 47,000


ROMA				3-1			BOLOGNA
Delvecchio 10, 38						K Andersson 68
Gautieri 60

Delvecchio headed in crosses from Totti and Di Francesco. His celebration
following his second goal really sucked arse. Delvecchio got Antonioli sent off
when diving over his body although Serie A goalkeepers never should charge off
their line and expect to get away with it unless they happen to play for Juve.
Totti's shot deflected off a Bologna player and Gautieri slotted in the rebound.
Andersson punished Quadrini's hospital pass. Not sure why Zago and Binotto were
sent off. 
 
Red Card(s) : Antonioli 53 (Bologna), Zago 79 (Roma), Binotto 85 (Bologna)
Attendance : 45,000


INTER				2-2			MILAN
N'Gotty 7 (own goal)					Leonardo 13, 52
Zanetti 76

Simeone crossed into the box and N'Gotty slid the ball into his own net. He tried
to make amends picking out Bierhoff with a superb 50yd pass but the big German
tried to volley and well you can guess what happened, it wasn't pretty.  Leonardo's
first was a rude toe poke from Helveg's cross and his second an equally stunning 
free kick. He also struck the crossbar from a free kick. Ronaldo almost scored his
trademark goal but was denied by Abbiati. Moriero blew an open goal following
great work from Ronaldo. Zanetti profited from some shocking defending, 
particularly from Costacurta to equalise from a tight angle. Weah blew a great
opportunity to win the match in injury time horribly miss-kicking a brilliant cross
from Bierhoff against his own feet and then tamely shooting at goal.

Attendance : 79,540

PARMA				2-1			BARI
Veron 57						Masinga 3
Crespo 77

Madsen swung in a corner, Masinga broke free from the cluster of players and flick
headed the ball past Buffon, great thinking, great timing. Chiesa and Crespo blew
two great chances before Veron got them back in the match with a delicious goal,
he ran onto a headed clearance, bounced the ball off his chest, flicked it up with
his right foot and then sent a volley ripping past Mancini - "il goal extradinario"
as the Italian commentator said. Mancini made a Pagliuca level save from 
Crespo's point blank header but spilled Veron's long range shot and Crespo tapped
in the rebound. 

Attendance : 21,000

14 March 1999

EMPOLI				0-0			LAZIO

Apparently the bookmakers stopped taking bets on this game as it was a forgone
conclusion that Lazio would come away with 3 points. Someone forgot to tell
Empoli to lay over and die. Couto and Mancini blew Lazio's best chances. Couto
should have been sent off for stamping on Cribari. Without Mihajlovic, Lazio's
longball game is useless. 

Attendance : 15,000


PIACENZA			2-0			CAGLIARI
Inzaghi 9 (Pen)
Vierchowod 81

Rastelli won a penalty with a dive in the box as Scarpi pushed out a cross. Inzaghi
converted from the spot. Cagliari should have been awarded a penalty when 
Manighetti sat on Vasari in the box but of course Cagliari were the away team so
there was no chance of that happening. Vierchowod , who is sold old he has an
autographed copy of the bible, headed in Stroppa's free kick.

Attendance : 10,000


SALERNITANA			2-0			SAMPDORIA
Kolousek 62
Fresi 84

Kolousek ran onto Gattuso's cross and with his first touch left a defender for
dead and slotted past Ferron. Hard to describe but a great goal. Fresi headed in
another great cross by Gattuso. Vergassola was sent off for taking a whack at 
Breda.

Attendance : 30,000
Red Card(s) : Vergassola 89 (Sampdoria)


VENEZIA				4-1			FIORENTINA
18, 47, 91 Recoba					Esposito 88 (Pen)
Miceli 42

Recoba's first two were great free kicks.  Miceli headed Recoba's corner against
the crossbar, chested the ball down towards goal, Amoruso smashed the ball
against Micelli and it rebounded into the net. Normally this would be funny but it
was lacking the key element of sheer stupidity that makes for classic footballing
farce. it was just plain bad luck. Heinrich won a penalty with the Klinsmann
special, Esposito converted. Recoba completed his hat-trick after stripping
Falcone off the ball as he attempted to play a back pass, left Toldo on his
6ft 5in arse and tapped into an empty net. Needless to say Recoba was
outstanding. Venezia picked up a couple of injures in the second half and stopped
trying until Fiorentina scored. Batistuta didn't look remotely fit. Fiorentina sorely
missed Rui Costa's presence and showed no creativity or threat whatsoever.
Maniero will apparently return to Milan in the summer and I'm certain Inter will
recall Recoba which may spell the end of Baggio depending on Lippi.
 
Attendance : 12,630


VICENZA				3-0			PERUGIA
Zauli 7
Schenardi 36
Otero 43 (Pen)

Zauli gave Vicenza the lead with a stunning scissor kick. Schenardi put away a 
loose ball from a rebound and Otero completed the scoring with a penalty won by
Negri.

Attendance : 15,604