Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Juventus - Napoli Coppa Italia (4-3 Rigori)
Juventus and Napoli battled it out in the Coppa Italia quarter-final, but after a goalless 120 minutes Juve progressed to the semi-finals with a 4-3 penalty shoot out win.
Juventus hosted surprise package Napoli at the Olimpico in Turin tonight in a Coppa Italia quarter-final that was decided in a single match, with the winner going on to face Lazio, who were victorious over Milan, in the semi-finals.
Juventus came into the match on the back of two losses in the row in Serie A which has seen the Bianconeri lose ground to leaders Inter Milan. Napoli have also experiencing a difficult moment in terms of results, with a draw and two losses in their last three games, denting their confidence.
First Half
The Partenopei took the kick off and got the game underway, going quickly onto the attack, with Lavezzi getting hurt, but he was soon able to continue. Juve had a few players missing through injury. Both midfielder Cristiano Zanetti and defender Giorgio Chiellini recently suffered setbacks, and were not be available against the Azzurri. Claudio Marchisio missed out with a slight muscle problem, while top keeper Gianluigi Buffon was not called up after a bout of flu had him sidelined. Juve had some good news however, as David Trezeguet, Tiago and Mauro Camoranesi are all called up, following some time out recovering.
The play moved at a slow pace in the early exchanges, with Juventus controlling the game, and edging slowly towards the Napoli goal. In the 10th minute Del Piero floated a corner into the box and Legrottaglie connected with a header, but his effort went wide of the post.
Very few clear cut chances characterised the game early on, but in the 17th minute a good passing move by the Bianconeri ended with a shot from Del Piero after the captain made some space, but his shot was easily parried by Navarro. A minute later Juve had a penalty call for a hand ball denied.
On 22 minutes Napoli poured forward well, making use of the extra man advantage as De Ceglie was off injured, and Hamsik met a fine cross with a good header, but Manninger was equal to the task. Two minutes later a Juve counter attack produced a free kick on the edge of the box, but Del Piero’s effort was blocked out wide. Marchioni wasted a good chance shortly afterwards, scuffing a shot in the box straight into the arms of Navarro.
The chances continued to be few, and a good opportunity for Napoli passed by in the 34th minute as a fine cross was dropped into the box, but the Juve defence did well to clear the danger, before a bicycle kick attempt from Pazienza sent the ball out for a goal kick.
Three minutes later Del Piero was off on the wing in a well-timed counter attack, but Gargano did exceptionally well to stop the marauding captain in his tracks. A minute into injury time Juve had an opportunity as Iaquinta crossed for Del Piero, but the Napoli back line cleared. The whistle for half time was blown shortly afterwards with the score still set at a goalless draw.
Second Half
Juventus kicked off the second half, hoping to get the all important goal that would allow them to progress to the semi-finals. The pace of the game remained unchanged in the early part of the second half, but Napoli seemed more determined and in the 48th minute Lavezzi went on a stunning solo run, dribbling past players before unleashing a shot at goal which was well blocked by Legrottaglie, but only a few minutes later the Argentinian striker was at it again, this time requiring a low save from Manninger.
On 53 minutes Lavezzi was causing more headaches, as he was almost picked out in the box after a good run, but the cross passed just overhead and Juve could breath again. The home side became desperate, and coach Claudio Ranieri decided to add striker David Trezeguet to the mix, taking Iaquinta off as a result.
In the 61st minute a scramble in the box allowed Giovinco to slip the ball across to Del Piero in the box, but the captain slipped and the chance went begging. In the 68th minute a dangerous cross from the right gave Juventus some hope, but none of the home players got onto the end of it, and Cannavaro was forced to make a risky clearance, which worked out for him.
As time went by the play became more desperate, and it seemed that things were heading to extra time. In the 76th minute a chance fell to Trezeguet, but the Frenchman’s shot was deflected out for a corner.
The home crowd grew frustrated, and with ten minutes remaining the players were looking tired and a few yellow cards were dished out for reckless and thoughtless challenges. In the 81st minute a break away from Napoli was looking deadly for Juventus, but a great tackle from Mellberg saved the Bianconeri in dramatic fashion.
A minute later more Napoli pressure saw Zalayeta have a run at goal, but under pressure from the Juve defence the Uruguayan hit his shot into the side netting. The Napoli spurt of late pressure continued, and the home side were lucky to come away unscathed once again as a low cross blew right through a crowd of players in front of the goal line without a single tough on the ball. Juventus were praying for the whistle to signal a stop in play in the hopes that it would break Napoli’s rhythm and allow them to regain composure.
A last minute heart attack for Napoli saw Trezeguet put the ball into the back of the net after a good bout of passing, but the goal was annulled for offside, and the game was sent into extra time.
Extra Time
Extra time began at a quick pace, and Trezeguet almost replicated his earlier feat, but Navarro saved his shot. Not even a minute later the Frenchman had a sitter a meter out from the goal, but a mixture of defensive desperation and good goalkeeping kept the ball from crossing the line.
A quick counter from Napoli resulted in a shot from Lavezzi, but Manninger saved with relative ease. A few minutes later Del Piero was unlucky to be stopped for a foul, as he was about to shoot at goal, leaving the home fans severely frustrated.
After both sides had used all of their substitutions, the reality of the penalties that were looming became clear, and the second half of extra time got underway. On 108 minutes Juve had a scare as a Napoli corner was nearly turned into the goal, but Manninger made a good save to keep the home side in the game.
A minute later Juventus came ever so close to getting the winner, but a strike from Nedved and then a rebound from Del Piero were well blocked by keeper and Cannavaro.
Del Piero had a stunning long range effort go just over the bar with two minutes remaining. The game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes and penalties were the only way to decide a winner.
Del Piero scored his penalty, and Hamsik equalised with his spot kick. Trezeguet put his kick into the back of the net, and Bogliacino did the same. Nedved stepped up, but Navarro saved his penalty, and Denis slotted his in, putting Napoli ahead. Marchioni scored his, but Navarro got findertips to it. Lavezzi put the ball on the spot, and Manninger saved in dramatic style to level matters. Sissoko came up for his kick and hit it off the crossbar and out. Contini had a chance to win it for Napoli, but he followed suit and blasted it over the bar. Into sudden death they went, and Legrotagglie did well to score his kick, leaving the pressure on Gargano who blasted over the bar and lost it for the Azzurri.
The win sends Juventus through to a semi-final meeting with Lazio. Juve have not won the Italian Cup since the 1994-95 campaign, but they are now closing in on a good opportunity to change that, if they beat the Biancocelesti in the next round.
JUVENTUS 0-0 NAPOLI
Penalties: 4-3
JUVENTUS: Manninger, Grygera, Mellberg, De Ceglie (Molinaro 23’), Legrottaglie, Marchioni, Poulsen, Sissoko, Del Piero, Iaquinta (Trezeguet 59’), Giovinco (Nedved 68’).
NAPOLI: Navarro, Santacroce, Cannavaro, Pazienza, Contini, Hamsik, Gargano, Montervino (Bogliacino 75’), Aronica (Vitale 91’), Lavezzi, Zalayeta (Denis 100’).
Peter Pedroncelli,
Goal.com
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