Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Juventus - Monaco 1-1 [4-5 Penalties]
Vincenzo Iaquinta’s stoppage-time strike started 2009 with a 1-1 draw against Monaco, but Paolo De Ceglie’s decisive spot-kick was saved.
Gianluigi Buffon had been out of action since the end of September with a groin strain, but started this evening’s Trofeo Citta’ di Messina at the Stadio San Filippo.
With Mauro Camoranesi, David Trezeguet and Giorgio Chiellini sidelined, youth team captain Ariaudo was given a starting role in central defence. Monaco opted to rest Flavio Roma, former Roma man Leandro Cufrè and ex-Milan defender Dario Simic.
The scoreline was at the very least flattering to the French outfit, as Juve created numerous chances in the first half and were repeatedly denied by goalkeeper Ruffier.
Amauri shook off a challenge to test the shot-stopper seven minutes in, then his header brought an even better save soon after. Alex Del Piero should’ve done better on the half-hour mark when he swept Zdenek Grygera’s assist wide with the inside of his left foot.
It all went horribly wrong for the Bianconeri when Nicola Legrottaglie brought down Adu for Leko’s penalty to send Buffon the other way.
Ruffier continued his spectacular individual performance by flying to tip a Del Piero free kick out of the top corner.
There were numerous changes at half-time, as Claudio Ranieri introduced the likes of Sebastian Giovinco, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Paolo De Ceglie and welcomed back Christian Poulsen and Hasan Salihamidzic from long-term injuries.
Buffon was one of those to make way, playing just 45 minutes of this comeback match, though Alex Manninger was also replaced by Antonio Chimenti.
Giovinco came closer than anyone to an equaliser on 67 minutes, but his free kick curled on to the frame of the goal and another effort was kept out by substitute goalkeeper Thuram-Ulien.
The Atomic Ant also had penalty appeals for a clash with Modesto, but it was his strike partner Iaquinta who avoided defeat in the final minute.
Iaquinta ran on to a Cristiano Zanetti searching pass from midfield and smacked his angled drive past the Monaco goalkeeper to force penalties in this friendly match.
Chimenti failed to stop a single spot-kick, but Thuram-Ulien parried De Ceglie’s effort to decide the trophy in Monaco’s favour.
Giovinco, Esposito, Salihamidzic and Legrottaglie successfully converted their penalties.
Juventus 1-1 Monaco
(Monaco win 5-4 on penalties)
Scorers: Leko pen 35 (M), Iaquinta 90 (J)
Juventus: Buffon (Manninger 46) (Chimenti 71); Grygera (Salihamidzic 46), Ariaudo, Legrottaglie, Molinaro (De Ceglie 46); Marchionni (Esposito 46), Sissoko (Poulsen 46), Marchisio (Zanetti 46), Nedved (Ekdal 46); Del Piero (Iaquinta 46), Amauri (Giovinco 46)
Monaco: Ruffier (Thuram-Ulien 46); Modesto, Mongongu (Nkoulou 64), Adriano, Mangani; Sagbo (Mollo 64), Leko (Doufau 75), Pokrivac, Diaz (Boulot 74); Adu (Germain 68), Gapke (Bakar 46)
Ref: Morganti
Channel4.com
(PICTURES)
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