Milan need an own goal in the 5th minute of injury time to see off
Sampdoria, Lazio retain their one point lead by hammering Udinese away.
Fiorentina and Parma inch further towards the Champions League with victories
The relegation battle hots up with Salernitana and Vicenza continuing their
late surge for survival.

2 May 1999

BARI				3-1			PIACENZA
De Ascentis 4						Dionigi 9
Masinga 84
Giorgetti 88 (pen)

De Ascentis ran onto Masinga's miss hit shot, charged into the box and fired
past Taibi. Dionigi was gifted a goal when Mancini spilled Stroppa's free
kick. Osmanovski was sent off for giving the ref lip (to those in the US 
that's not the same as giving head). After missing three easy headers Masinga
put one away from Giorgetti's free kick and returned the favour by winning
the penalty which Giorgetti despatched with ease. A miss leading scoreline as
Piacenza spurned numerous chances.

Attendance : 12,284 
Red Card(s) : Osmanovski 68 (Bari)


BOLOGNA			1-3			CAGLIARI 3
Signori 31						O'Neill 19
							Macellari 46
							Mboma 47

Rinaldi and Mangone conspired to miss Macellari's cross and O'Neill strolled
through to score Cagliari's first. Signori got his first goal following an
injury lay off with a sweet finish from Nervo's cross. Paramatti continued
the Norman Wisdom impressions by falling over in the box when attempted
to head out a cross, Macellari obliged with the finish. Macellari played in
Mboma, helped by a fabulous dummy from Berretta, and the man mountain
swept the ball past Antonioli. Muzzi's goals may have dried up but Mboma's
recent performances should keep Cagliari in Serie A for another season.
Rinaldi was sent off for elbowing Vasari who must have a kick me sign on the
back of his shirt as minutes later Fontolan went through him with a cynical
tackle from behind. Bologna need to get over their UEFA Cup loss to Marseille
quickly or they are in danger of missing out on a UEFA Cup place.

Attendance : 25,000
Red Card(s) : Rinaldi 53 (Bologna)


FIORENTINA			5-1			PERUGIA
Batistuta 40						Kaviedes 78
Rui Costa 43, 66
Edmundo 76 (Pen), 91

Torozzi hurt his arse early on, Firicano came on in his place. Batistuta 
scored from Heinrich's cross. Rui Costa had his penalty saved but scored
from the rebound. Boskov was sent off for threatening the cameraman,
he's such an idiot this is the second time in a few weeks that he's walked
off and missed loads of goals. Rui Costa, Edmundo and Oliveira linked
up for Rui Costa's second, a blistering shot from inside the box. Colonnello
threw himself to the floor clutching his face and as Batistuta was next to
him when it happened he was sent off. Edmundo won and cheekily converted a
penalty. Kaviedes bounced Tedesco's cross off his chest and blasted a scissor
kick past Antonioli, fabulous goal. Edmundo got his second from Oliveira's
pass. I've been very critical of Rui Costa in the past but he's been
outstanding this season but he needs to leave Florence unless he wants to
waste a potentially great career like Batistuta.

Attendance : 35,000
Red Card(s) : Batistuta 73 (Fiorentina)


MILAN				3-2			SAMPDORIA
Ambrosini 17						Montella 59
Leonardo 79						Franceschetti 86
Ganz 95

Montella smashed a shot against the post. The Samp defence failed to clear
Albertini's attempted pass and Ambrosini hammered the loose ball past Ferron,
his first goal for Milan. Ganz headed against the post from Guly's cross,
Franceschetti juggled Helveg's hospital pass off his knee and cracked a 
volley . . . against the crossbar. Ganz got Lassissi sent off with a shameful
dive, there was contact but a love tap is a love tap not a foul. Montella
spurned a great chance after Maldini pathetically attempted to back header a
cross. Montella headed in a corner when Costacurta forgot to watch the ball
and instead tried to foul Montella. Leonardo curled in a free kick. 
Franceschetti scored with a great volley. Abbiati pulled of a great save to
deny Cate. Ganz volleyed Ambrosini's corner and Castellini was helpless
as the ball deflected off his hand past Ferron. Rai once again attributed this
as an own goal but according to FIFA directives the goal should be awarded to
the player who had the initial shot (don't ask, look it up). 

A noticeably nervous performance by Milan, the defence was  a mess, Abbiati
was dropping everything. Ambrosini's attacking play continues to improve by
leads and bounds. As I have said in the past he's destined for Petit/Davids
class within the next two seasons.

Attendance : 70,000
Red Card(s) : Lassissi 45 (Sampdoria)


PARMA				1-0			EMPOLI
Stanic 8

Stanic volleyed in Fuser's cross. Chiesa had a goal disallowed for offside.
Empoli should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Di Napoli.
Parma were still without Veron and they still suck.


Attendance : 17,000


SALERNITANA			1-0			JUVENTUS
Di Vaio 35

Zidane made his first contribution to Juve in a league match for months,
his shot smashing against the crossbar. Di Michele pounced on a hospital
pass from Montero and his centre was clinically despatched past Peruzzi by
Di Vaio. Mirkovic and Montero were sent off for bringing down Vanucci and
Di Vaio respectively when through on goal. This week Zidane claimed he would
stay at Juve, they're better off without him.
 
Attendance : 38,000
Red Card(s) : Mirkovic 84 (Juventus), Iuliano 87 (Juventus)


UDINESE			0-3			LAZIO
							Mihajlovic 30 (Pen)
							Vieri 48
							Mancini 57

Mancini took a dive in the box following a non challenge from Bertotto, the
ref awarded a penalty, Mihajlovic converted. Vieri headed in Mihajlovic's
free kick. Mancini headed in Lombardo's cross. Once again Udinese choke
miserably against one of the top teams at home.



Attendance : 32,000


VENEZIA				1-2			VICENZA
Valtolina 89						Otero 46, 48

Otero upstaged fellow Uruguayan Recoba with two priceless goals either side
of half time, a header from Schenardi's cross and trademark slow-mo finish
inside the box. Valtolina smashed a shot against the crossbar, had a superb
goal disallowed and scored in the last minute from Maniero's pass.

Attendance : 11,175

Monday. 3 May 1999

ROMA				4-5			INTER
Totti 25 (Penalty)						Ronaldo 16, 55
P Sergio 47						Zamorano 21, 34
Delvecchio 48						Simeone 87
Di Francesco 78

Inter raced into a two goal lead thanks to a trademark Ronaldo goal and
Zamorano's miss-hit volley, both from Baggio passes. Roma were awarded a
penalty for a shirt tug on Paolo Sergio by Silvestre. Totti converted
the penalty with a blatant dummy on run  up only for Zamorano to fire
Inter back into a two goal lead with a superb chip from a wide angle.
Paulo Sergio punished a lapse in concentration by Pagliuca to head Roma
back in the match and Delvecchio levelled the tie with a super header
from Paulo Sergio's cross. Zamorano ran onto a brilliant pass from
Baggio and centred for Ronaldo to score another easy goal. Pagliuca went
off injured. Totti fell over in the box while attempting to chest the
ball, Di Francesco drilled in the rebound. Ronaldo had a fabulous volley
disallowed for offside before Simeone won the game with a header from
Baggio's free kick. Some of the worst defending I have seen at this
level, Inter were beyond awful at dealing with crosses, Roma's pathetic
offside trap was ripped apart by a sensational performance from Baggio
and to a lesser extent Ronaldo and Zamorano. Roma are still chasing
forwards for next season, Zeman should be fired clearly he's the most
incompetent coach in Serie A, with Eriksson a close second.