Saturday, November 1, 2008
Juventus - Roma 2-0
Juventus earned their fourth consecutive win in all competitions with a surprisingly easy 2-0 victory at home against crisis-torn Roma, courtesy of goals from Alessandro Del Piero, again on a free kick, and Marco Marchionni.
Juventus looked to register their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions as they welcomed crisis-torn Roma, who were looking to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat. Juve coach Claudio Ranieri opted for a 4-4-2 line-up with the usual couple of captain Alex Del Piero and Amauri in attack, while Luciano Spalletti played with a 4-2-3-1, with Rodrigo Taddei, Simone Perrotta, and Mirko Vucinic behind Julio Baptista up front.
First Half
The first few minutes were all for the home side, as the first opportunity came already in the 2nd minute, when Marco Marchionni sent in a dangerous cross from the right which almost found Pavel Nedved, but Christian Panucci headed the ball away in time.
A minute later, Del Piero sent in a dangerous low ball that was almost tapped in from close range by Amauri.
The visitors started to threaten in the 12th minute, when Baptista found Taddei inside the area with a nice tough off his heel, the number 11 then played the ball to Vucinic, who was anticipated by Zdenek Grygera.
A couple of minutes later, De Rossi fashioned another chance for Roma, as he sent in a precise cross for Taddei, who headed the ball well over the bar from a decent position.
The Giallorossi came desperately close in the 21st minute, when defender Giorgio Chiellini sliced the ball on a cross by Vucinic and was lucky to see the ball bounce off the post instead of rolling into the net.
It was all Roma halfway through the first half, and two minutes later it was Baptista who had a great chance, but he headed David Pizarro’s cross over the crossbar.
The home side had an excellent chance around the half hour mark, when Chiellini was found by a free kick by Del Piero, but his close range header was saved by a reflex from Alexandre Doni (33’).
It was yet another free kick by Pinturicchio that gifted Juve the opening goal. In the 38th minute, the captain stepped up to take a set piece from about 25 meters and aimed straight for goal, finding the top corner of the net with a stunning strike.
Del Piero came close to scoring a second just two minutes later, when he almost converted a left wing cross by Christian Molinaro with a fine first-time shot, but he sent the ball inches wide of the post.
That was the last serious chance of the first half, which was a very entertaining affair.
Second Half
At half-time, Spalletti decided to take off the disappointing Taddei and inserted French striker Jeremy Menez.
However, Juve just continued where they left off at the end of the first half, and just a minute in Amauri fired an overhead kick on a great cross by Marco Marchionni straight into the hands of Doni.
The home side were rewarded for their highly determined start to the second half in the 48th minute, when on a counterattack Del Piero played the ball to Marchionni, who made a run inside the area, skipped past John Arne Riise, and chipped the ball over Doni and into the net.
Juve continued to pour forward with conviction, but Roma managed to contain them, and about ten minutes in they started to re-organise themselves. In the 56th minute, Vucinic sent in an excellent cross inside the area from the right, and Perrotta came close as he flicked the ball on with his head, but he couldn’t quite get it on target.
Clear cut chances were very hard to come by for the visitors though. In the 68th minute, it was Ranieri’s side who came close again, as Amauri forced another good save from Doni with a low shot on a nice assist by Del Piero.
It was a rather dreary affair after that, as Roma just could not find a way to trouble Juve’s defence, which was quite content to lean back and invite the Giallorossi to come forward. Spalletti’s team showed once again they struggle badly going forward whenever captain Francesco Totti is missing. The Roma captain has not yet recovered from his knee problem, which might keep taunting him for the rest of the season.
After an uneventful last 20 minutes, Juve were able to celebrate their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions, while it was the fifth consecutive loss for Roma, who are now dangerously close to the relegation zone as they continue to ship in goals.
JUVENTUS-ROMA 2-0
GOALS: Del Piero (J) 38’, Marchionni (J) 48’
Juventus (4-4-2): Manninger; Grygera (77’ Mellberg), Legrottaglie, Chiellini, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko, Tiago, Nedved (80’ De Ceglie); Amauri (74’ Iaquinta), Del Piero. Coach: Ranieri.
Roma (4-2-3-1): Doni; Panucci (58’ Cicinho), Mexes, Juan, Riise; De Rossi, Pizarro (70’ Okaka); Taddei (46’ Menez), Perrotta, Vucinic; Baptista. Coach: Spalletti.
REFEREE: Rizzoli.
BOOKED: Panucci, Pizarro (R)
Danilo Pochini
Goal.com
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