Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Bologna - Juventus 1-2
A goal in each half from Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved and a consolation goal from Marco Di Vaio handed Juventus a deserved 2-1 win over Bologna at the Renato Dall’Ara Stadium, allowing the Turin side to claim all three points and continue their surge up the table.
Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri had warned his players before the game that struggling Bologna will raise their game when for this clash at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara. The hosts were in 17th place in Serie A before the game, with only goal difference keeping them out of the relegation zone and they had lost six of their last seven games.
Claudio Ranieri’s side have gone through somewhat of a resurgence in the last week after a less than auspicious start to the campaign. This game was a pressure cooker situation for both coaches, with their jobs on the line after struggling in the early stages of the campaign. Juventus have been heavily hit with injuries coming into this game, with Alessandro Del Piero and Gigi Buffon both missing amongst others.
First Half
Bologna kicked off in this encounter between two of the squads that are looking to prove a point after less than ideal starts to the campaign. Juventus pushed forward first, and forced a corner in the 3rd minute. The Bianconeri could not create anything from the resulting corner.
Amauri showed his intent early on with dangerous runs and a few threatening crosses from the flanks. Bologna could see that it would take a great deal of effort to stop the big Brazilian. Nedved showed himself to be in a particularly fiesty mood, constantly getting involved in the attacks, many of which began from the feet of the Czech player.
Juventus would make an early mark on the game, with Nedved scoring in the 12th minute. The midfielder did exceptionally well to move past two players on the left before slotting the ball past Antonioli in the Bologna goal.
Bologna’s response was immediate, and only two minutes after the opening goal Bombardini and Mingazzini had attempted attacks that were thwarted by the Juve back line. Amauri continued to be a thorn in the newly promoted club’s side, with most crosses aimed in the direction of the commanding striker.
Despite going behind early in the game, the home side continued to attack and create threatening opportunities, making sure that the Bianconero defence had plenty of work to keep them busy. In the 19th minute Iaquinta took a free kick for the Turin side, but the Bologna wall kept the danger away from Antonioli’s goal.
The first booking of the game came after a foul from Molinaro earned him a yellow card in the 24th minute. A minute later Amauri was again keeping the Bologna back line busy, but they were more than capable and the Brazilian could not find a way past. In the 26th minute a challenge from Mellberg on Marazzina in the Juve box went unpunished, despite the disgust from the home crowd.
In the 30th minute of the game a move between Nedved and Amauri was almost fruitful, but the striker could not beat Moras and the defender cleared to safety. Two minutes later Juventus wasted a chance to go further ahead, when a cross from Tiago found Marchioni unmarked in the area, but the winger could not control the ball and the chance passed by.
Ten minutes from the half time break saw a cross from Castellini floated dangerously into Manninger’s box, but Di Vaio and Marazzina did not react in time to reach the ball. Three minutes after the Bologna initiative Nedved was once again on the attack, and his cross required a sharp reaction from Moras as well as a block from Antonioli in order to stop a chance for a second goal. Juventus put Bologna under a great deal of pressure in the last few minutes of the half, with Molinaro, Amauri and Marchionni all trying to extend the Bianconero advantage in vein.
After a minute of added time, referee Trefoloni blew the whistle for half time, sending the teams into the change rooms for a chat with their respective coaches.
Second Half
The second half got under way and Juventus picked up where they left off, applying pressure to Bologna and attacking their hosts with great intensity. Crosses came thick and fast for Amauri and Iaquinta in the Bologna box, but the strike pair did not make anything out of the chances they were given.
In the 51st minute Amauri came within inches of the second goal, but his attempt after a cross from Nedved hit the post, and the rebound was skyed by the onrushing Marchionni. Five minutes after the ball hit the wood work the old Czech soldier Pavel Nedved would claim his second of the match, after his cross took a deflection and sailed off Antonioli into the goal. That made it 2-0 for the Bianconeri.
Di Vaio was determined to decrease the lead, and three minutes after Juve’s second goal the ex Bianconero was trying to cause trouble in the box, but he was stopped by three of his opponents. In the 65th minute Juventus were once again dangerous, as Amauri broke through for on the counter attack and the striker was denied by a fine save from Antonioli.
One minute later, and Bologna were on the attack, with Bombardini’s pass to Di Vaio well cut out by Tiago. In the 68th minute the Portuguese player attempted to put his side three ahead with a strike from outside the box that just slipped wide of the post.
In the 74th minute Di Vaio gave Bologna a lifeline with a goal that took the score to 2-1. A fee kick from Carrus sent the ball invitingly into the Juve area and Di Vaio popped up to head past Manninger and score against his old team. In the 76th minute the home crowd thought that their team had tied things up after Marazzina’s diving header went into the back of the net, but the officials ruled it offside and Juventus could breath again.
In the 79th minute Juve substitute Giovinco tried a shot from distance off a free kick, but the starlet sent the ball high of goal. Two minutes later Iaquinta came close to a restoring the two goal cushion on the counter attack, but his finish was undermined by fine work from Antonioli.
The 84th minute saw the return of Juventus and Italy star Mauro Camoranesi, who substituted on for Tiago. A minute later Giovinco would again try to push towards goal but Moras stopped him in his tracks. In the same minute a great strike from distance required a save from Antonioli to stop Marchionni from getting on the score sheet.
Bologna pushed forward in the final minutes in an effort to salvage a point out of the game, but Juve held strong and would not let anyone through. After four minutes of injury time the referee concluded the game with the score at 2-0 for the Bianconeri. The pressure on Arrigoni mounts, while Ranieri eased the stress surrounding him.
BOLOGNA 1-2 JUVENTUS
GOALS: Nedved 12’, 56’ (Juventus) Di Viao 74’
BOLOGNA: Antonioli, Zenoni (Marchini 46’), Moras, Bombardini, Terzi, Lavecchia (Bernacci 89’), Mudingayi, Castellini, Mingazzini (Carrus 67’), Marazzina, Di Vaio.
JUVENTUS: Manninger, Mellberg, Chiellini, Knezevic, Molinaro, Nedved, Tiago (Camoranesi 84’), Sissoko (Ekdal 60’), Marchionni, Iaquinta, Amauri (Giovinco 70’).
BOOKINGS: Marchini, Mudingayi, Carrus (Bologna) Molinaro (Juventus)
REFEREE: Trefoloni
Peter Pedroncelli
Goal.com
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