Post by Salem6 on Oct 29, 2006 7:42:22 GMT
After more than a month on the road Juventus returned to the Olimpico on Saturday to take on Frosinone. Following Friday’s arbitration, the Bianconeri entered the match with ten points in Serie B, and a win against the men from Lazio – a possible seventh in seven - would see Deschamps’ men gain significant ground on the league leaders. The Frenchman recalled Bojinov to partner Trezeguet in attack, Paro in the centre of midfield, and Balzaretti at left-back, while the defensive trio of Buffon, Boumsong and Kovac looked to extend their impressive run of clean sheets. Coming into the match, the Bianconeri had not conceded in just over eight hours of competitive football.
Juventus started on the front foot, controlling possession from the first minute. Zappino had to be alert early on as Nedved attempted to release Trezeguet with a diagonal ball over the top. The keeper was off his line quickly to clear the danger but in the 4th minute, he was called into action once more, denying Bojinov from close range after a delightful reverse pass from Nedved on the edge of the area. The Bianconeri continued pressing but Frosinone kept their discipline at the back, denying the home side space in the final third. Zanetti looked lively in midfield, beating his marker several times in the opening ten minutes, but it was Camoranesi who almost provided the opener. As the game reached the quarter hour mark, the right winger flicked the ball though to Bojinov first time. With just the keeper to beat the Bulgarian opened out his body and tried to place the ball in the far side of the goal, but Zappino had dived early and managed to palm away the striker’s effort.
In the 22nd minute Bojinov was at the heart of the action once more, cutting in onto his right boot and beating Zappino with a expertly placed grass-cutter from the edge of the box. The goal didn’t count though, Trezeguet was ruled to have been in an off-side position. On the half-hour mark, Nedved tested the keeper with a low shot from distance and three minutes later Trezeguet attempted an outrageous overhead kick from the edge of the box. The ball whistled just wide of Zappino’s right post but it wouldn’t have counted, he was in an off-side position. On 37 minutes Frosinone received a let-off after Camoranesi had released Trezeguet in the danger area. The Frenchman took a touch to take the ball in from the right and attempted to beat the Frosinone keeper at the near post. Zappino made a fine reflex save but Bojinov was perhaps in a better position in the middle of the penalty area. In the 43rd minute Lodi reminded Juventus that it was not a one horse race, stinging Buffon’s palms from distance after a swift and clinical counter-attack. Boumsong almost broke the dead-lock on the stroke of half-time, just inches away from connecting with a curling free-kick from Camoranesi but Frosinone held on until the half-time whistle.
Frosinone almost made the perfect start to the second period, Di Venanzio forcing Buffon into a fine diving save from thirty yards. The Juve keeper just managed to touch the ball over his bar but the away side had signalled their intent. In the 49th minute Bojinov played a neat lay-off to Trezeguet. The Frenchman had time and space but couldn’t direct his low and powerful effort past Zappino. Five minutes later Nedved almost made the breakthrough, slipping the ball past his marker and unleashing a tremendous curling effort towards goal which just swerved over at the last second. Deschamps switched things up on 55 minutes, replacing Camoranesi with Marchionni, and the substitute had an almost immediate impact, crossing in to Bojinov from out on the right. The Bulgarian steadied himself for a powerful half-volley but Perra raced in to deny him at the vital moment. To the delight of the crowd, Del Piero entered the fray on the hour mark, replacing Bojinov up front. In the 64th minute, Antonioli failed to deal with Balzaretti’s diagonal cross from the left side of the box. His attempted clearance fell into the path of Trezeguet but the striker wasted the chance, blasting the ball wide of Zapponi’s left post. It took another fine challenge from Perra to deny Nedved on 68 minutes. The defender just got there in time after Marchionni had picked out the Czech with a low pass from the right edge of the area. In the 74th minute the Olimpico was set alight. Nedved hit the post with an effort from the edge of the box, the ball ricocheted off the woodwork, then off the frame of Trezeguet, before dropping at the feet of Alessandro Del Piero. The captain looked up, steadied himself and smashed the ball home past a crowd of defenders and the helpless Zappino. The crowd went wild as the local hero completed an unrivalled double century of goals in Bianconeri colours. In the 81st minute the captain almost doubled the lead but his fierce effort from near the penalty spot was diverted clear of danger by a desperate block from the Frosinone defender. Three minutes later and it was Del Piero again who cleverly drew Zappino out to the left edge of the box before dinking the ball back into the middle on the turn. Trezeguet raced in to make a header but was beaten to it by the well-placed Frosinone defenders. In the 86th minute, Buffon flew off his line to punch Castillo’s cross clear of danger and with the minutes winding down, Dechamps brought Marchisio on for Trezeguet. Nedved almost made it two in injury time, blasting the ball inches over the bar with a first-time effort from outside the box but in the end, it was Del Piero’s 74th minute strike that earned the three points for the Bianconeri. 200 goals for the captain but more importantly, his team go into Wednesday’s clash with Brescia well-placed with 13 championship points.
GOALS: Del Piero 74’
BOOKED: Ischia 26’, Zanetti 57’, Zappino 70’, Lodi 72’, Nedved 76’, Fialdini 87’
JUVENTUS: Buffon; Birindelli (capt.), Kovac, Boumsong, Balzaretti; Camoranesi (Marchionni 55’), Paro, Zanetti, Nedved; Bojinov (Del Piero 60’), Trezeguet (Marchisio 87’)
Subs: Mirante, Legrottaglie, Palladino, Zalayeta, Del Piero
Coach: Deschamps
FROSINONE: Zappino; Perra, Cannarsa (Castillo 76’), Antonioli (capt.), Ischia; Lodi, Anaclerio, D’Antoni (Fialdini 73’), Di Venanzio; Margotta, Di Nardo (Pagani 65’)
Subs: Chiodini, Lacrimini, Galasso, Rimoldi
Coach: Iaconi
REFEREE: Squillace (Catanzaro)
ASSISTANTS: Ciancaleoni, Pugiotto
4TH OFFICIAL: Peruzzo
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