Post by Taxigirl on Feb 9, 2004 12:01:14 GMT
Dacourt 13 (R), Totti pen 53 (R), Cassano 70, 85 (R)
Stadio Olimpico
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A stunning Roma performance has steamrollered Scudetto holders Juventus after Paolo Montero's red card and a saved penalty.
Scudetto showdowns don't get much bigger than this as the two joint-second teams face off for the right to race off after runaway leaders Milan.
There was a big shock for Bianconeri fans ahead of kick-off, as captain Alessandro Del Piero took his seat in the stands due to a muscular twinge during the warm-up.
Marco Di Vaio - who scored both goals in the 2-2 draw between these teams in Turin earlier this season when he substituted Del Piero - stepped in to partner David Trezeguet.
Roma adopted a new 4-4-2 system with Antonio Cassano and Francesco Totti upfront, introducing Christian Panucci and Jonathan Zebina to the defence.
The Giallorossi had a good start and Cristian Chivu's curling free kick was fingertipped round the post by Gianluigi Buffon. On the resulting corner Olivier Dacourt gathered on the edge of the box and placed an angled drive into the far corner.
The game sparked into life and Mauro Camoranesi's chip just failed to reach Di Vaio, but on the counter-attack Francesco Totti's magnificent half-volley slammed the underside of the bar.
Pavel Nedved went on a strong run and his fierce drive was just wide of Ivan Pelizzoli's goal.
David Trezeguet became a makeshift defender with a crucial headed clearance on Chivu's powerful effort.
At the other end Di Vaio nodded a Camoranesi free kick wide, but there were timid penalty appeals for Lilian Thuram's unorthodox challenge on Antonio Cassano following a Paolo Montero error.
Di Vaio picked up a knock and was replaced just before the half-time break by the explosive Fabrizio Miccoli.
But Roma started the second half in confident fashion and a last ditch challenge prevented Emerson getting a clean shot on Totti's assist.
It came as little surprise when on 52 minutes Paolo Montero brought down Cassano in the box and Pierluigi Collina inevitably pointed to the spot. Francesco Totti stepped up and turned his penalty in off the inside of the upright.
The tension rose and Montero saw red for a second bookable offence just moments after he gave away the penalty. The Uruguayan hacked at Totti's ankle and it could easily have been a straight red.
Bizarrely, Juventus have had at least one player sent off in this fixture for the last four years running.
Roma were on cloud nine and Buffon parried a powerful Amantino Mancini effort from the edge of the box.
Miccoli refused to give in and Pelizzoli was forced into a risky rush off his line to clear from the former Perugia man.
The goalkeeper then plucked an Igor Tudor header out of the air from another Miccoli set-piece.
But the home side was running the show and Cassano skipped past two defenders before blasting over the bar.
Miccoli is a set-piece specialist and Pelizzoli scrambled his fierce curling effort clear at the near post. The young goalkeeper also missed the resulting corner kick, but no Juve players were ready to take advantage.
Instead Roma made the pressure pay off and took their lead to three goals with Antonio Cassano. The starlet was left unmarked to sidefoot in a deflected Mancini cross from six yards as Juve's disastrous defensive record took another twist.
There was controversy soon after, as Collina awarded a penalty to Juventus for Chivu's push on Alessio Tacchinardi. The Frenchman stepped up and fired his central spot-kick straight at Pelizzoli's feet.
The scoreline could have been extended further, but Buffon batted away a fierce Totti free kick and Christian Panucci turned a header over.
It got even worse in the final minutes when Cassano was left completely unmarked in the centre to nod in Mancini's sweeping centre following a well-worked team move. The youngster was booked for over-celebrating as he broke the corner flag and it had to be replaced.
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Roma: Pelizzoli; Panucci, Zebina, Samuel, Chivu; Lima, Emerson, Dacourt (De Rossi 91), Mancini; Cassano (Carew 87), Totti (D'Agostino 89)
Juventus: Buffon; Thuram, Legrottaglie, Montero, Zambrotta; Camoranesi (Appiah 67), Tacchinardi, Conte (Tudor 57); Nedved; Di Vaio (Miccoli 45), Trezeguet
Ref: Collina
Sent off: Montero 55 (J)
Missed penalty: Trezeguet 74 (J)