Post by Salem6 on Feb 17, 2007 17:42:10 GMT
“Crotone be warned”. This was the message the Juventus camp made a point of sending this week as the team looked to compensate for the disappointing draw in Vicenza a week earlier. With a goal-fest in mind, Deschamps recalled Trezeguet and Camoranesi to the starting line-up, while Zebina and Giannichedda returned from suspension.
Juventus were out of the blocks with lightning speed. In the 4th minute Camoranesi picked out Trezeguet with a bending ball down the line and the Frenchman set pulses racing with a searing drive across the face of Soviero’s goal. The Crotone keeper was called into action again a minute later as Trezeguet peppered his goal with two testing headers. The Bianconeri dominated possession, forcing the visitors into an extended exercise of damage-limitation and it seemed a matter of when, rather than if, they would grab an early lead. A period of sustained pressure from the home-side led to a string of corners, and eventually, a cherished opener for the hosts. It was Nedved who provided the finish on 17 minutes, picking up the ball on the edge of the box and thundering a powerful drive past a cluster of defenders and the helpless Soviero (1-0). The players were clearly enjoying themselves as a vocal crowd cheered them on from the stands. Juventus doubled their lead in the 23rd minute as the Crotone defence retreated increasingly deeper, strangled by the ceaseless tide of attacks. The goal came from another corner, Balzaretti latching onto a short one and thumping in his first ever Juventus goal from the left edge of the box (2-0). This was a cathartic performance from the Bianconeri, exorcising the demons of previous weeks with a scudetto-worthy display. On 29 minutes, Trezeguet scissored an ambitious effort just over the bar but the Frenchman’s acrobatics were just a microcosm of the home side’s overall hegemony. Crotone could only hold on as Nedved and Camoranesi orchestrated the attack from the two flanks. Zanetti hobbled off five minutes before the break, replaced in midfield with the ever-reliable Paro, but Deschamps’ men weren’t done yet. In the 44th minute Del Piero picked up the ball on the periphery of the Crotone penalty area, danced past at least three defenders, and swiped a low effort into the back of Soviero’s bulging net (3-0). Even with the interval looming, the Bianconeri continued to press hard but fortunately for the Calabrians, referee Damato was keeping an eye on his watch. Three goals to nothing at the break.
Juventus were out on the pitch early for the second half, a clear sign they weren’t going to settle for three. Carboni sent on Cariello in place of Espinal for the visitors but the Bianconeri maintained the upper hand, monopolising possession from the kick-off. The pressure was relentless but a tricky backpass from Chiellini almost cost them their three goal cushion in the 54th minute. Buffon miscontrolled under pressure and had to scuttle back quickly to hoof the ball clear from his own goal line; luckily for Juventus, it was Super Gigi, and not the ball, that ended up in the back of the net. Del Piero played through Trezeguet on 64 minutes, but with just the keeper to beat, the striker was unable to hit the target. A minute later and the Bianconeri made it four. Del Piero collected the ball thirty yards out, powered into the box head-down like a racehorse and blasted an unstoppable low drive past Soviero. Luckily for Deschamps, the captain survived Nedved’s overzealous celebrations (4-0). Marchionni replaced the outstanding Camoranesi in the 68th minute as the hosts geared up for this weekend’s carnival. But the Bianconeri’s performance was more like an acid-house rave than a masked ball, choking Crotone into submission with a masterly display of fluid attacking football. On 79 minutes Del Piero completed a sumptuous hat-trick, latching onto an intelligent pass from partner-in-crime Trezeguet and grabbing a fifth for the hungry Old Lady (5-0). Boumsong returned to action in the 83nd minute, replacing Zebina at the heart of the defence after a month and an half injury lay-off. The game was so one-sided it might have verged on boring had Juventus not served up such a steaming dish of footballing genius. Flying at Mach 3 speed into a three point lead over Napoli at the top of the table (the Southerners would have a chance to catch up at home to Arezzo on Sunday), the Bianconeri virtually eliminated any chance of a consolation goal for the visitors with a masterclass in possession football. Crotone deserved credit - they didn’t stop running until the final whistle was blown - but this was all about a superlative return to winning ways for Juventus.
GOALS: Nedved 17’, Balzaretti 23’, Del Piero 44’ 65’ 79’
JUVENTUS: Buffon; Birindelli, Chiellini, Zebina (Boumsong 83’), Balzaretti; Nedved, Giannichedda, Zanetti (Paro 40’), Camoranesi (Marchionni 68’); Trezeguet, Del Piero
Subs: Mirante, Piccolo, Zalayeta, Bojinov
Coach: Deschamps
CROTONE: Soviero; Zamboni, Morabito, Maietta, Fusco; Tisci, Piocelle (Veron 61’), Espinal (Cariello 46’); Giampaolo (Lopez 78’), Sedivic, Dionigi
Subs: Pagotto, Bonomi, Borghetti, Palmieri
Coach: Carboni
REFEREE: Damato
ASSISTANTS: Viazzi, Tonolini
4TH OFFICIAL: Gallione
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