SERIE A ROUND 21
 
4 MARCH 2001

MONTELLA 3-2 VIERI

ROMA				3-2			INTER
Montella 10, 27, 86					Vieri 8, 45

An awesome volley from Vieri opened the scoring in this typically high
scoring encounter between the two sides.  Montella was credited with the
equaliser but from the angle I saw he didn't appear to make contact with
Assuncao's free kick. He didn't make contact with Assuncao's free kick for
his second goal either but he headed in the rebound after the Brazilian's
shot came off the bar. Inter equalised on the stroke of half time with a
classic counter attack. Recoba threaded a pass to Vieri, he ran between
Zebina and Samuel and coolly slotted into the bottom corner.

Totti went close either side of half time, first blazing over Delvecchio's cross
and then hitting the woodwork with a brilliant curling shot. Samuel flicked
on a corner and Montella completed a hat-trick of headers at the far post.

Assists : Recoba (x2), Samuel


VERONA				2-1			ATALANTA
Salvetti 11, 90						Doni 43

Pelizzoli made a fantastic reaction save from Salvetti's volley but
unfortunately for him the ball fell straight to the midfielder and second time
round he made no mistake. Atalanta scored a magnificent equaliser. Morfeo
received the ball with his back to a defender, he turned, dragged the ball
back and then hit a perfectly weighted pass to Doni who swept the ball first
time over Ferron. Fighting broke out in the stands, not sure what or who was
to blame. Salvetti came from nowhere to smash in a volley.
 
Attendance : 13,645
Assists : Morfeo, Camoranesi


BARI				2-1			FIORENTINA
Cassano 42						Rui Costa 39
Andersson 87 (Pen)

Rui Costa carried the ball 30yds, beat a couple of players and shot high past
Gillet. As in recent weeks once Rui Costa or Chiesa do their bit the rest of
the team falls apart. Innocenti launched a ball downfield, Pierini flicked it
on straight to Cassano and he rounded Toldo before tapping into an empty net.
Nuno Gomes and Chiesa blew great chances, both created by Rui Costa.
A slack header by Di Livio gave Osmanovski an equally great chance which he
also missed. Osmanovski dived in the box, Andersson converted the penalty.
Bari are still going down.

Fiorentina's seventh league match without a win. The club are in freefall.
Rui Costa and Toldo must regret signing new contracts last season. 

Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Osmanovski


UDINESE			0-2			JUVENTUS
							Zambrotta 38
							Inzaghi 60

Birindelli almost snapped the crossbar in half with a ferocious header.
Zambrotta worked himself an opening but shot over the bar. Del Piero
smashed a free kick against the post and Zambrotta put away the rebound.
Turci completely missed a free kick and Inzaghi headed into an empty net.
Zidane continued his recent habit of hitting the woodwork. Del Piero and
Alberto were sent off for handball.

Attendance : 27,000
Red Cards : Del Piero 81 (Juventus), Alberto 84 (Udinese)
Assist : Del Piero


NAPOLI				1-1			LECCE
Edmundo 51						Vugrinec 80

Amoroso pressured Chimenti into dropping a cross, Edmundo picked up the
loose ball but instead of shooting first time he pissed about allowing Lecce
to get back in numbers. Treacherously selfish play from the Brazilian.
Matuzalem conned the ref into awarding a penalty by pulling Viali's shirt
then throwing himself down in the box. Chimenti denied Edmundo from the
spot with a marvellous save. Lucarelli wasted a great chance late in the
first half when he intercepted Vidigal's hospital pass, turned inside Saber
and blazed high over the bar. Vugrinec hit the woodwork from a free kick.

Good link up play and terrible positioning by Chimenti gave Napoli the
lead. The Napoli defence simply didn't even bother to defend Giorgetti's
cross as Vugrinec volleyed the away side level.

Attendance : 30,000
Red Card : Dainelli 80 (Lecce) 
Assist : Morfeo, Giorgetti


MILAN				2-2			PARMA
Maldini 21						Milosevic 24
Guly 48							Amoroso 80

Sala headed a free kick against the post. Buffon punched out a corner
straight to Maldini and his messy volley bounced through a ruck of players
into the net. Lamouchi was sent off for arguing? Torrisi launched the ball
downfield, Sala controlled it on his chest, Abbiati came off his line to
claim it, missed, and Milosevic tapped into an empty net. Abbiati made a
marvellous save from Conceicao's fiercely struck volley.

Rossi came on for the injured Abbiati at the start of the second half and was
immediately called into action, making a superb save from a close range
Milosevic effort. Buffon made an equally brilliant save from Guly's volley
but the Argentinean winger scored from the resulting corner. Boban blew a
great chance. Three Parma players were standing offside when Amoroso drew
Parma level. Buffon made another miraculous save to deny Shevchenko an
immediate equaliser. Shevchenko headed weakly at Buffon. Sala blasted a
volley high over the bar following great link up play with Leonardo. 

Milan probably played the best football of their season, which isn't saying
much. Serginho and Boban combined brilliantly at times. Kaladze looked
excellent in midfield but his team-mates didn't pick up on some of his one
touch play. A true captain's performance by Maldini. 

Attendance : 45,000
Red Card : Lamouchi 22 (Parma)
Assist : Torrisi


PERUGIA				1-0			VICENZA
Materazzi 41

Awful match. Both teams took turns in making inaccurate long distance shots
at goal. Chimenti saved Materazzi's slack penalty but the big defender coolly
slotted in the rebound. Liverani and Ze Maria went close with free kicks.

Attendance : 8,000 


3 MARCH 2001

REGGINA			2-1			BOLOGNA
Zanchetta 8						Signori 68
Cozza 41

Zanchetta gave goal shy Reggina a dream start with a deflected free kick.
Signori volleyed against the post. Cozza resisted the temptation to go down
in the box under a suicidal challenge by Castellini to steer the ball into
the net. There was a hint of and handball and offside in Bologna's
equaliser but Reggina held on for a desperately needed three points.

Bologna play too much long ball.

Attendance : 22,916


BRESCIA				0-1			LAZIO
							Salas 59

Lazio had Hubner to thank for the three points. The part time Bruce
Springsteen impersonator blew three guilt edged chances in a match dominated
by the home team. Baggio and Diana combined for Hubner's first chance,
he spun round Mihajlovic in the box but shot high over the bar. Mihajlovic
made a mess of a long ball, Hubner raced clear, brilliantly turned inside a
defender, rounded Marchegiani but his shot bounced off the inside of the
post and trickled across the goal-line. He blew another opportunity when
Marchegiani spilled a ball, this time he shot against Couto. Castroman stole
the ball off Petruzzi and slipped in Salas who waited for Castellazzi to
commit himself before shooting. Bisoli hammered a shot against the post late
in second half injury time.

Attendance : 20,000
Assist : Castroman