HERE COME THE ROMANS

Atalanta stage a super comeback to defeat Juventus. Lazio move into joint
second with a hard fought victory over plucky Lecce. Two World Class strikes
from Batistuta away to Parma send Roma six points clear at the top of
Round A.


4 FEBRUARY 2001

NAPOLI				1-0			FIORENTINA
Pecchia 90

Fiorentina best chance, in fact only chance, came from a Rui Costa free kick,
Pierini headed over. Napoli were equally lacklustre. In the last minute
Magoni tried his luck from 20yds, Toldo weakly parried his shot and Pecchia
arrived unmarked at the far post to score the winner.


BARI				1-3			BRESCIA
Neqrouz 64						Tare 37
							Hubner 73, 85

It takes a brave referee to send off a player from the home team in the
second minute, Belonging is a brave referee. Mazzarelli walked for pushing
Pirlo in the box. Springs teen's tame penalty was easily saved by Gillet.
Gillet parried Yllana's header, new signing Tare headed in the rebound.
Bari should have been awarded a penalty when Andersson's shot was handled
in the box. To add insult to injury Diana won Brescia another penalty early
in the second half. Gillet saved again, a superb stop from Pirlo's shot.
Neqrouz headed Bari level from a corner, Osmanovski and Perrotta missed 
great chances for the home team. Springsteen controlled Pirlo's superb pass
on his chest before firing past Gillet and made sure of the three points with
a Batistuta style finish five minutes from time.

Bari are doomed. It will be interesting to see where Mazzone plays Pirlo when
Baggio returns from injury.
 
Attendance : 14,500
Red Card : Mazzarelli 2 (Bari)
Assists : Cassano, Pirlo, Yllana


BOLOGNA			0-3			INTER
							Vieri 26
							Di Biagio 61
							Jugovic 62

Vieri pounced on a hospital pass to give Inter the lead. Frey made an awesome
save with his feet following some intricate touch play between Signori,
Locatelli and Cruz. Di Biagio increased Inter's lead with a superb diving
header and the Jugovic added a third with a brilliant shot from 20 yds.

Inter's best win of the season. Bologna desperately need to find some width
because they are simply not creating many chances by playing through the
middle and Cruz's strength is in the air.

Attendance : 32,000
Assists : Jugovic, Sukur


LAZIO				3-2			LECCE
Crespo 41, 65						Conticchio 51
Veron 75						Lucarelli 80 (Pen)

Crespo opened the scoring with a powerful shot on the turn. Wretched
defending gave Lecce an equaliser, Conticchio made sure Lucarelli's goal
bound shot crossed the line. Crespo headed Veron's free kick against the
crossbar and also hit the outside of a post before turning in Pancaro's
deflected shot. Poborsky cleared Vialli's shot off the line. Veron looked to
have sealed a comfortable win for the champions with an awesome shot from
outside the box but Lecce scored from the spot to gave Lazio a nervy finish.
Vugrinec bounced himself off donkey Couto to win the penalty, Peruzzi just
failed to keep out Lucarelli. 

Attendance : 55,000
Assists : Veron, Pancaro, Lucarelli, Vugrinec


MILAN				1-0			REGGINA
Leonardo 79

Leonardo went close with an acrobatic shot on the turn. Big wimp Bierhoff
seemed to spend most of the match whining about getting pushed around.
Leonardo lit up this dire encounter with a crisp shot from the edge of the
box.

Attendance : 55,000
Assist : Giunti


PARMA				1-2			ROMA
Di Vaio 35						Batistuta 74, 83

Roma were awarded a penalty following a stupid challenge by Benarrivo on
Tommasi. Totti hit the post. Totti released Delvecchio, his first effort was
saved by Buffon and he fell over when attempting to put away the rebound with
an open goal at his mercy. Di Vaio gave Parma the lead with a superbly placed
low shot despite pressure from the awesome Samuel. Buffon made an excellent
double save from Totti and Cafu at the end of the first half.

Parma should have been awarded a penalty when Samuel jumped on Di Vaio's
back. Roma had penalty claims of their own when Sartor blocked a Batistuta
effort with his hand. Two stunning goals from Batistuta in a ten minute spell
turned the game in Roma's favour. The first an exquisite volley from Samuel's
marvellous through ball and the second another fine volley from Cafu's cross.

Attendance : 28,000
Assists : Amoroso, Samuel, Cafu


VICENZA				1-2			UDINESE
Toni 43 (Pen)						Jorgensen 13
							Margiotta 91

Zauli shot over the bar in the second minute after a defensive mistake gave
him a run on goal. Brncic, on loan from Milan, attempted to cut out a cross
but sliced the ball straight to Jorgensen and he made no mistake from close
range. Cardone made the most of minimal contact from Sosa to win
his team a penalty just before half time, Toni converted. Vicenza wasted some
decent chances in the second half and were duly punished when Udinese hit a
last minute winner for the second time this week (Italian Cup V Parma), Fiore
with a sublime pass through a defender's legs and mid week hero Margiotta
with the finish. 

Attendance : 13,500
Assists : Cardone, Fiore


3 FEBRUARY 2001

ATALANTA			2-1			JUVENTUS
Lorenzi 75						Paganin 74 (og)
Ventola 81

Atalanta foolishly gave Zidane a second opportunity to send a cross into the
box, Paganin beat Inzaghi to the ball but his header looped up and over
Pelizzoli. Lorenzi equalised three minutes after coming on as a sub with a
superb header, timing his leap perfectly in a crowded penalty box, Morfeo,
who tormented Udinese last week, supplied the cross. Atalanta's second came
on the counter attack. Doni sent Ventola clean through with the Juve defence
playing offside on the half way line and he finished with a powerful low shot
inside the post.

Assists : Morfeo, Doni


PERUGIA				1-0			VERONA
Materazzi 63

Both 'keepers made crucial saves early on, Ferron from Saudati and Mazzantini
with a typically spectacular effort to deny Bonazzoli. Materazzi won the
match with an easy header at the far post. Ferron denied Saudati a second
time with his feet, Bonazzoli headed against the post.

Assist : Liverani