Post by Taxigirl on Nov 2, 2003 10:17:52 GMT
A brilliant late equaliser from Marco Di Vaio salvaged Juventus a point from their table-topping clash with AC Milan on Saturday.
Di Vaio latched onto a flicked pass from strike partner David Trezeguet to lash a blistering left-foot volley into the top corner of the net, leaving Milan goalkeeper Dida grasping thin air.
It was a rare moment of real quality in a match that often threatened to boil over, and on occasion did.
The heated atmosphere was not consigned to the pitch either.
The match had been delayed by 15 minutes because of traffic, and skirmishes between rival supporters outside the San Siro stadium.
Juve's bus arrived at the venue late because of congestion.
Milan, who beat Juventus in the Champions League final last year, came into the match joint top on 19 points with the Bianconeri but looked set to go solo when they took the lead after 65 minutes through Jon Dahl Tomasson.
The Rossoneri held that advantage until six minutes from time but they could do little to prevent Di Vaio's moment of magic snatching a share of the spoils for Juve.
Despite the magnitude of the game and a San Siro jam-packed with 80,000 fans, the first half was a rather dull affair as both sides cancelled each other out. Juventus were the only team to register shots on goal, and both their chances fell to Pavel Nedved.
In the fourth minute, he found himself in space on the right edge of the area. Moving more centrally he lashed in a shot towards the bottom right of goal, forcing Dida to push the ball out for a corner.
In the 36th minute, Nedved dispatched a similar shot from the other side of the area. This time his shot was easier for Dida, the Brazilian international smothering the effort.
Milan's response was a couple of long-distance efforts from Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, neither of which gave Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon too much trouble.
There were signs of tempers being frayed as the half-time whistle approached with Igor Tudor showing his anger at Pirlo for continuing play while Nedved lay injured in the Milan half.
That resulted in confrontations between a number of opposing players but referee Salvatore Racalbuto managed to keep a lid on things. He only produced two cards in the whole game, handing out yellow cards to Milan's Clarence Seedorf and Gianluca Zambrotta of Juventus.
The second half was just as competitive as the first, but much more lively in terms of goal action.
Milan had the ball in net in the 51st minute after Andriy Shevchenko had rounded Dida and slotted home, but Racalbuto ruled the goal out after adjudging the Ukrainian striker to have started his run from an offside position.
Five minutes later Juve created their best chance of the match up until that point.
Mauro Camoranesi sent in a cross from the right which Di Vaio met with a flying volley. However, he was denied a spectacular goal by the woodwork.
The former Parma man would still get himself a showreel moment by the end of the game though.
Soon after Di Vaio's misfortune, Trezeguet forced Dida to make a diving save with a shot on the turn from close range.
Milan weathered the pressure, though, and they took the lead just after the hour-mark when Tomasson latched onto a prodded-through Pirlo pass to fire home from inside the six-yard box.
Juve should never be written off, however, and in Di Vaio they had a player who always looked capable of producing something special.
And so it proved when the Italy international stunned the home faithful with what is likely to be a serious contender for any Serie A goal of the season competition.
Both sides would probably have settled for a point before the match but they will be less pleased with the injuries sustained during the game, especially with vital Champions League coming up this week.
Milan winger Sergio Serginho twisted his ankle in a challenge, while Juventus lost Enzo Maresca, who was carried off on a stretcher after having his foot trapped under team-mate Stephen Appiah.
