NO TOTTI, NO PROBLEM

Goals by Batistuta and Emerson send Roma six points clear at the top of
Round A. Zidane inspires Juventus to a comfortable victory over Napoli.
Lazio and Atalanta fight out a surprisingly poor goal-less draw. Fiorentina's
recent poor form continues with home defeat against Parma. Verona hand Milan
their second defeat of the week.


11 FEBRUARY 2001

JUVENTUS			3-0			NAPOLI
Kovacevic 11
Inzaghi 52
Del Piero 85

Zidane skipped a tackle in midfield and charged down the left flank, he
mesmerized Magoni before floating a delightful ball onto Kovacevic's
head, 1-0. 19 year old Brighi made a complete mess of Zidane's awesome
30yd disguised pass. Fontana saved brilliantly from Zidane headers either
side of half time but on the second occasion Inzaghi put away the rebound.
Inzaghi was fouled (yes, fouled) in the box. Zidane stepped up but Fontana
again denied him a deserved goal. Fontana made excellent saves from
Del Piero and Zidane but then in a typical hero to donkey performance let
Del Piero's free kick slip through his hands into the net.


Attendance : 30,000
Assists : Zidane (x2)


BOLOGNA			1-2			ROMA
Brioschi 51						Batistuta 11 (Pen)
							Emerson 34

Tomassi was fouled in the box, Batistuta smashed the penalty straight down
the middle. Bologna should have been awarded a penalty for handball by
Rinaldi. Binotto tangled with Emerson, the ref blew for a foul. Emerson refused
to let go of the ball so Binotto gave him a love tap to the gut with his
foot, stupid challenge, red card. To add insult to injury Emerson blasted in
Roma's second after the Bologna defence wasted two chances to clear Candela's
cross. Pagliuca made fantastic saves from long range efforts by Batistuta and
Cafu. Montella hit the outside of a post following great interplay between
Nakata and Batistuta. Brioschi headed in Signori's free kick. Montella
spurned another chance created by Batistuta.

Roma were without Totti, it didn't matter. Batistuta's link-up play with
other forwards has improved a great deal since joining Roma, not because of
the better quality around him but because he is less selfish.

Attendance : 37,000
Red Card : Binotto 21 (Bologna)
Assists : Tomassi, Signori


BRESCIA				3-1			UDINESE
Hubner 53 (Pen), 68, 79					Margiotta 84

Pirlo was booked for diving in the box. Springsteen showed him how to do it,
going down under no challenge whatsoever. He scored from the spot and
added a second by holding off Sottil and drilling a shot in off the post.
Hubner combined with Yllana to complete his hat-trick, cutting inside from
the left flank and rolling the ball into the corner. The only positive for
Udinese was Margiotta's consolation goal with new signing Gaarde supplying
the pass. 

Attendance : 12,000
Assists : Hubner, Bachini, Yllana, Gaarde


FIORENTINA			0-1			PARMA
							Conceicao 6

Fiorentina made a blistering start, Adani having a shot cleared off the line
and Rui Costa wasting a great chance. Just as they had done against Lazio,
they fell behind against the run of play. Repka attempted to clear a cross
but ended up sending the ball in the box and Conceicao smashed a half volley
past Toldo. Amoroso (Fiorentina) fell over Torrisi's trailing leg, Buffon
made a fabulous stop from Chiesa's penalty. Toldo made a fantastic save to
deny Di Vaio and then earned himself a red card with a stupid challenge
outside the box on Mboma. He didn't protest and simply walked off the field
after shaking hands with the referee. Parma's defence was rock solid and they
took the fight out of Fiorentina in the second half.
 
Attendance : 30,000
Red Card : Toldo 72


LECCE				2-2			PERUGIA
Tonetto 32						Vryzas 35
Giorgetti 60						Saudati 78

A great match between two unlikely UEFA Cup contenders. Ingesson blew a
100% chance from a corner. Petrachi made an equally bad miss when
Giorgetti's hospital pass gifted him a one on one with Chimenti. Tedesco
had a shot cleared off the line and Saudati went agonisingly close with a
header. Typically after wasting these chances Perugia fell behind to a brilliant
drive by Tonetto. Vryzas equalised with a nice turn and shot inside the box.
Osorio was sent off a minute after coming on as a sub. Materazzi caught him
with a stray elbow, Osorio retaliated with a brutal two footed challenge, he
didn't make much contact but the intent was clear. Despite their numerical
disadvantage Lecce hit the front again on the counter attack, Vugrinec with
a superb through ball and Giorgetti with a cool finish, lifting the ball into
the net as Mazzantini flew off his line. Materazzi headed on Liverani's
corner, Tedesco volleyed and the ball deflected off team-mate Saudati past
Chimenti. 

Attendance : 12,791
Red Card : Osorio 43 (Lecce)
Assists : ?, Vugrinec, Tedesco


VERONA				3-2			BARI
Mutu 54, 71						Andersson 31 (Pen)
Camoranesi 60						Said 87


Neqrouz launched the ball downfield, Ferron came out to clear but only got as
far as whacking it against Osmanovski, as the Swede ran into the box, Ferron
hauled him down, red card, penalty. Andersson gave Doardo no chance. The
reserve 'keeper did considerably better next time he was called into action
making a super, albeit fortunate, save from Bellavista. Mutu controlled
Bonazzoli's cross with his stomach before shooting under Gillet to equalise
and two awful pieces of defending cost Bari the match. Gillet dropped a
cross, Camoranesi tapped in. Gillet and Innocenti ball watched Bonazzoli's
beautiful first time cross bounce allowing Mutu to score his second. 20 year
old defender Said scored what proved to be a superb consolation goal.
A Ronaldo special, running through five defenders, rounding the 'keeper and
tapping into an empty net. Incredible control for a defender. More goals like
that and he won't have to worry about where he plays next season, his team
mates will be in Round B.

Attendance : 12,204
Red Card : Ferron 29 (Verona)
Assists : Osmanovski, Bonazzoli (2)


VICENZA				2-0			MILAN
Dabo 9
Toni 72

Abbiati was lucky not to be sent off for brining down Kallon outside the box.
Multiple reject Dabo scored from the resulting free kick. Dabo went close
with another free kick and some desperate defending prevented Vicenza from
adding to their lead until Toni controlled Zauli's pass on his chest and
volleyed past Abbiati. The genius Zaccheroni decided to bring on Shevchenko
mid-way through the second half. He failed to make an impact.
 
Attendance : 15,000
Assists : Zauli (2)


10 FEBRUARY 2001

INTER				1-1			REGGINA
Vieri 40 (Pen)						Dionigi 3

For some reason the ref disallowed Oshadagon's stunning free kick. Taibi made
a great save from Dalmat, Vieri headed against the post. Reggina took the
lead from a short corner, Morabito with the cross and shocking marking by
Blanc allowed Dionigi to head past Frey. Vieri scored from the spot after
Oshadagon pulled him down in the box. Reggina made all the running in the
second half, Mamede with their best chance, flashing a shot just wide of the
post.

Attendance : 52,068
Assists : Morabito, Vieri


LAZIO				0-0			ATALANTA

On paper this had the makings of a great match, a meeting between two form
teams who have scored for fun in recent weeks. It turned out to be dire
encounter. Pelizzoli made a great stop from Veron's free kick and the Lazio
defence managed to scramble the ball clear after Peruzzi blocked Damiano
Zenoni's shot. Simoni Inzaghi went close with a header.

Attendance : 42,000