Post by Salem6 on Mar 17, 2008 9:49:09 GMT
Serie A Week 28 - 16/3/08 (19.30 UK)
Juventus 1 - 0 Napoli
Iaquinta 88 (J)
Stadio Olimpico
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Vincenzo Iaquinta's goal two minutes from time gave Juventus a potentially crucial 1-0 win over Napoli that extends their lead over fifth place to eight points.
The Bianconeri were eager to take revenge after the extremely controversial 3-1 defeat at the San Paolo earlier this season. Napoli had only six wins here in 61 attempts and had Daniele Mannini and Manuele Blasi suspended as well as learning Marcelo Zalayeta will be injured for the rest of the campaign. Juve had absentees too, as Jonathan Zebina, Mauro Camoranesi and Nicola Legrottaglie sat out bans with Cristiano Zanetti sidelined, so Tiago Mendes got a rare start.
Marek Hamsik drilled wide early on and Emanuele Calaio's overhead kick was not far off the target. Juve took a while to get going and Alessandro Del Piero curled over in acres of space.
Gigi Buffon got down well to parry a Hamsik effort at the near post after he had squirmed between three Bianconeri jerseys.
Pavel Nedved had the best opportunity of the game so far as he ran on to Del Piero's assist, cut back round the defender and blasted just over the bar from nine yards.
Del Piero's free kick was deflected over and the Juventus captain thought it was off Calaio's arm, but replays suggest contact was with Paolo Cannavaro's head.
A corner kick caused problems as Giorgio Chiellini got a touch, but Guglielmo Stendardo was crowded out from six yards. Del Piero wanted a penalty for Santacroce's clumsy intervention.
In first half stoppages, Del Piero curled one of his trademark free kicks over the bar, but Napoli really should have taken the lead. Gyorgy Garics sprung the offside trap and was clear on goal with Ezequiel Lavezzi in support, but his chip was neither a shot nor an assist and ended up wasting a fantastic opportunity.
After the restart another Del Piero set piece went close and his assist for Nedved was closed down by an attentive Matteo Gianello. Claudio Ranieri introduced Vincenzo Iaquinta and Christian Molinaro for a 4-3-3 system.
Gianello got down to tip a fierce Tiago right-foot strike from over 30 metres round the post on 62 minutes. On the resulting corner Del Piero's wayward effort fell to Tiago for another powerful attempt over the bar.
Lavezzi's right-foot shot on the bounce was comfortably smothered by Buffon, but Juventus had by far the better of the play and Del Piero fired a lucky ricochet off target.
Santacroce's tackle on Iaquinta in the box was perfectly timed to avoid a penalty, but there was a scare when Garics' backheader almost turned into an own goal.
Buffon also had an uncertain moment on a seemingly harmless cross that looped towards the top corner. Stendardo nodded a Del Piero corner over with a free header from seven yards. Juve were pouring forward now and Iaquinta put a Molinaro cross wide of the target.
The deadlock was finally broken two minutes from time. Lavezzi lost the ball in midfield and Del Piero's smart first-time flick with his back to goal found Iaquinta, who cut past Maurizio Domizzi to place a low drive beneath Gianello.
Napoli fought back and Roberto Sosa just failed to get the final touch to a Domizzi cross that flashed past him. The last kick of the game saw Lavezzi curl a free kick just over.
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Juventus: Buffon; Salihamidzic (Iaquinta 59), Stendardo, Chiellini, Grygera, Nocerino (Molinaro 59), Tiago, Sissoko, Nedved, Del Piero, Trezeguet (Birindelli 92)
Napoli: Gianello; Santacroce, Cannavaro, Domizzi, Garics, Gargano, Pazienza, Hamsik (Bogliacino 63), Savini (Contini 81), Lavezzi, Calaiò (Sosa 71)
Ref: Rocchi
www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia/sa0708/juv-nap.html