Post by Salem6 on Oct 25, 2006 9:19:39 GMT
It was an historic occasion as Triestina and Juventus lined up to face one other for the first time in 47 years. With one of the strongest defensive records in the championship, the homes side was looking to cause an upset against the in-form Bianconeri, but Deschamps’ men had a sixth successive Serie B victory in their sights and weren’t taking any chances. The Frenchman kept faith in the attacking pairing of David Trezeguet and Alex Del Piero, still on the hunt for his 200th Juventus goal, while Giannichedda replaced Paro as Zanetti’s partner in the heart of the Juventus midfield.
Triestina started on the front foot, Boumsong forced to clear from his own six yard box in the first minute. The home side won a series of corners in the opening exchanges, but the Juve back-line were equal to the task, clearing the ball from danger with composure. The Triestina midfielders were intent on making things difficult, but the Bianconeri gradually began to take control of possession, Nedved winning a free-kick in a dangerous area in the 11th minute. It was prime Del Piero territory, but the captain was unable to keep his effort down. On the quarter hour mark, Birindelli curled a tight cross into the box after a clever lay off from Del Piero. Trezeguet sneaked in front of his marker but his cute header was gathered down low by Rossi. Two minutes later, the Frenchman found himself in space on the left edge of the box but he lashed his effort high and wide of the goal. Triestina answered back, denying the Bianconeri space in the middle third and fashioning some openings of their own. Unfortunately for the Alabardati Kovac and Boumsong were in commanding form at the back, limiting the home side to long range attempts, and on the half hour mark the tide turned back in Juve’s favour. Chiellini looped a delightful first-time cross in from the left touchline in the 31st minute which just evaded the head of Trezeguet, but a minute later the Bianconeri were in front. Nedved edged in front of his marker on the left side of the area after Triestina had failed to clear a Camoranesi free-kick, the Czech winger dinked the ball into the middle and Zanetti was there to side foot the ball home from next to the penalty spot (0-1). It was the midfielder’s second goal of the week. Nedved looked extremely lively on the left wing, carving out space almost at will, but Triestina managed to hold on until the half-time whistle.
Triestina won a corner three minutes into the second half, Kyriazis lost his marker but his header was saved comfortably by Buffon. Juventus counter-attacked with pace and Nedved supplied Trezeguet in the middle of the box. The Frenchman took the ball away from the defender with his chest and unleashed a low drive goal bound, but Rossi was there to make a desperate save with his feet. The home side replied with a phase of sustained pressure. Piovaccari sent a powerful header just wide of Buffon’s left post in the 52nd minute and the Juve keeper was called into action again seconds later, saving with his feet after Graffiedi had skipped through into the box and let go with his right boot. Triestina kept up the pressure but the Bianconeri held their line well and repelled the wave of red attacks. On the hour mark Nedved came close, cutting onto his left foot twenty five yards out and forcing Rossi into a diving save with a dipping effort. The Triestina keeper gathered second time round but the Czech veteran had signalled his intent. With time and space at a minimum in the middle third, it was Nedved who looked most likely to create another opening, almost finding the head of Trezeguet in the 62nd minute after some tremendous skill on the left wing which left his marker on the turf. Zalayeta replaced Del Piero in the 68th minute and two minutes later Deschamps was forced to make a second tactical change. Chiellini was given his marching orders on 70 minutes after a second bookable offence and the Frenchman brought on Balzaretti in place of Trezeguet, switching to a 4-4-1 with Zalayeta alone up front. Triestina looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage but as the game edged towards the final ten minutes, Zanetti’s goal remained the difference between the two sides. The home side were camped in the Juve half as the clock wound down but their plans for an equaliser suffered a major blow as Marchini was given a straight red for a foul on Nedved in the 85th. A minute later Triestina did almost find the back of the net but Kyriazis blasted his effort into the side netting after Eliakwu has crossed in from deep on the right wing. Paro supplied fresh legs in the middle of the park, replacing Giannichedda in the 88th minute, but only seconds later it took the combined efforts of Boumsong and Buffon to deny Ruopolo from close range. Five minutes of additional time were added on and the tension mounted as Triestina poured numbers into the Juve box. Ruopolo beat his man in the 93rd minute but he smashed his right-footed effort high and wide of the goal. With spaces opening up all over the pitch, Juventus almost grabbed a second on the counter-attack, Paro forcing Rossi to make a save with a long range piledriver in the 94th before Nedved lashed a half-volley over the bar with the last action of the match. Zanetti was the hero again as Juve took all three points back to Turin for the second time this week.
GOALS: Zanetti 33’
BOOKED: Chiellini 12’, Trezeguet 24’, Birindelli 84’
SENT-OFF: Chiellini 70’, Marchini 85’
TRIESTINA: Rossi, Kyriazis, Lima, Mignani, Pesaresi; Marchini, Allegretti, Briano (Eliakwu 74’); Kalambay, Testini (Graffiedi 46’); Piovaccari (Ruopolo 81’)
Subs: Dei, Abruzzese, Pivotto, Rossetti
Coach: Agostinelli
JUVENTUS: Buffon, Birindelli, Kovac, Boumsong, Chiellini; Camoranesi, Giannichedda (Paro 88’), Zanetti, Nedved; Trezeguet (Balzaretti 71’), Del Piero (Zalayeta 68’)
Subs: Mirante, Legrottaglie, Marchionni, Bojinov Coach: Deschamps.
REFEREE: Bergonzi
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