Inter humiliate Parma at the San Siro. Juventus, Fiorentina and Lazio join
them at the top following comfortable home wins. Reggina stun Bologna with
another smash and grab performance.

18 SEPTEMBER 1999

PERUGIA				3-0			CAGLIARI
Nakata 15
Materazzi 31
Melli 38

Nakata curled in a free kick. Materazzi headed in a free kick and Melli scored
his first goal in about 10 years from Scarpi's cross. Mazzantini saved 
O'Neill's weak penalty.

Attendance : 13,000


BARI				1-1			MILAN
Osmanovski 11						Serginho 17

Ambrosini lost possession after Andersson fouled him, Osmanovski ran onto the
loose ball and took the scenic route around Milan's defence before putting
the ball under Abbiati's legs. Both teams hit the crossbar in quick
succession, Weah with an acrobatic effort after Mancini saved from Bierhoff
and Masinga from another rebound after Abbiati denied Ferrari with a 
now trademark Hollywood save. Milan's equaliser came from a Bari corner, as
they tried to send the ball back in play it cannoned off Serginho to
Shevchenko, he surged forward and fed Serginho who beat Mancini with a deft
chip. Shevchenko wasted a great chance to put Milan in the lead when he 
headed wide from Ambrosini's cross. In the second half it was all Milan,
Weah was denied by a great block from Innocenti, Mancini saved bravely from
the feet of Guly after making a mess of Giunti's free kick and Weah beat
Mancini following a great move but Garyza headed off the line. Bari's only
notable chance in the second half fell to Andersson but once again Abbiati
came to the rescue.

Bari may only have two points but they have played the top three teams from
last season. Last season Bari made a great start to the season and were
pushing for a UEFA Cup place before their defence crumbled and their
shortcomings in attack were exposed. Fascetti needs to find a partner for
Masinga.

Attendance : 45,000


19 SEPTEMBER 1999

BOLOGNA			0-1			REGGINA
							Possanzini 74

Bologna had a goal disallowed for offside. Pirlo, on loan from Inter, won
a ball in midfield and spread the ball wide to Possanzini who ran towards
goal, rode a tackle and slammed the ball high into the roof of the net.
Bologna have made their customary slow start to the season. I'm not sure
how long Reggina can ride their luck, they scored with their only attempt
in their opening match against Juve and did the same here.

Attendance : 28,000



FIORENTINA			4-1			VERONA
Batistuta 17, 31, 81					Melis 69
Chiesa 48

Batistuta tapped in a rebound after Chiesa struck the crossbar, scored with
a great diving header from Rui Costa's cross and completed his hat-trick
with a trademark shot across goal. Battistini parried a fiercely struck
shot by Chiesa but was helpless as Chiesa followed up and headed in the
rebound. Batistuta . Verona surprisingly carved out several chances, 
Cammarata smashed a volley past Toldo, the ball bounced over the
goal-line and out but was disallowed, Aglietti's shot was blocked and
bounced off the post and after a series of rebounds from a free kick Melis
finally beat Toldo. Cammarata also headed straight at Toldo from close
range and had a shot cleared off the line by Repka. 

Attendance : 6,000


JUVENTUS			4-1			UDINESE
Del Piero 20 (Pen)					Bisgaard 72
Inzaghi 22 (Pen), 39
Zambrotta 48

Two dodgy penalties put Juve 2-0 up. Inzaghi bundled David's miss hit shot
over the line. Zambrotta swapped passes with Del Piero and beat Turci at 
his near post at the start of the second half. Bisgaard headed in Udinese's
consolation goal.

Attendance : 30,000


LAZIO				3-0			TORINO
Veron 14 (Pen)
Inzaghi 45
Salas 88

Veron converted a twice taken penalty after Nedved took a dive in the box.
Salas split the Torino defence with a great pass, Inzaghi's shot was blocked
by Bucci but he scored from the rebound. Salas slide tackled the ball off
Mendez in the box and despite loosing his balance managed to hook the 
ball over Bucci.

Attendance : 42,000


PIACENZA			1-1			LECCE
Dionigi 4							Lucarelli 41

Dionigi ran onto a Mazzola through pass to beat Lorieri. Lucarelli equalised
with a neat finish from Sesa's pass.

Attendance : 12,000


VENEZIA				1-3			ROMA
Petkovic 58						Delvecchio 39, 48
							Alenichev 72

Totti inevitably had a hand in Roma's victory. He centered for Delvecchio
to tap-in and Alenichev ran onto his through pass to beat Konsel. In between
Delvecchio controversially headed in his second from a corner as Montella
blocked ex-Roma 'keeper Konsel and Venezia also scored from a corner,
Petkovic met little resistance as he ran onto Nanami's pass and screwed his
shot past Antonioli.

Attendance : 10,655


INTER				5-1			PARMA
Zamorano 7, 63						Simic 13 (og)
Vieri 17
Moriero 38
Thuram 71 (og)

Zamorano beat Buffon when put through by Vieri. Crespo was awarded for his
persistence when his shot deflected off Simic past Peruzzi. Vieri put Inter 
back into the lead with a superb strike from Sousa's free kick, with his
back to goal he spun round and rifled a shot into the top left corner of
the net. Moriero crashed a volley off the post from a awesome Georgatos cross
but made no mistake with a brilliant volley from Vieri's cross. Zamorano
scored Inter's fourth when sliding in to met another great Vieri cross, his
third assist. Thuram cracked under sustained Inter pressure as his 
attempted clearance beat Buffon.

Huge problems for Parma, their defence was atrocious and even worse rumour
is Zeman will take over from Malesani! Inter's pressing, as in their first
match, was sensational. I can never recall seeing an Inter team not only
work so hard but uncharacteristically continue to plough forward even when
comfortably in the lead. Ronaldo and Baggio were in the stands. Read into
that what you will. Vieri had a super match, Di Biagio looked to have well
and truly put behind his World Cup nightmare and Georgatos continues to look
like a World Class talent. Very, very impressive. Just to put the kiss of
death on Inter, if they don't win the scudetto this season they never will!
Dare I say it but I enjoyed Inter's performance.