SERIE A ROUND 27
 
RECOBA AND MONTELLA KEEP INTER AND ROMA TOP


17 MARCH 2002

MILAN				2-1			TORINO
Kaladze 51						Ferrante 64 (Pen)
Ambrosini 79

Milan's Spanish misfits combined for the only chance of the first half, Javi
Moreno's first time from Jose Mari's cross bounced against the outside of a post.
Inzaghi made his return from injury as a second half substitute. Kaladze gave
Milan the lead with a bizarre goal from a deflected cross. Kaladze fell as he
tried to volley the ball and it looped over Bucci into the corner of the net.
Jose Mari had a goal disallowed for offside. Ferrante took a tumble in the box
after Contra dragged him down, penalty. Ferrante hammered the ball into the
net. Jose Mari had another goal disallowed for offside. Ambrosini scored
minutes after coming on a substitute with a trademark header from a corner.
Inzaghi completed a hat-trick of goals disallowed for offside. Lucarelli shot wide
from close range in the fifth minute of injury time.

Attendance : 30,000
Assist : Contra (corner), Ferrante (pen)


BRESCIA				1-1			LAZIO
Yllana 91 (Pen)						Crespo 56

Crespo scored from close range with a ridiculously powerful shot following good
work by Claudio Lopez and Poborsky. Pancaro pissed away the point after a
stupid foul on Bachini gave the ref no choice but to award a penalty. Yllana
put the ball on the spot, tied his laces then got up and rammed the ball into
the roof of the net.

How does a player like Pancaro makes the national team? He's crap.

Attendance : 18,000
Assists : Poborsky, Bachini (pen)


CHIEVO				1-1			VENEZIA
Corini 63 (Pen)						D'Angelo 6 (og)

D'Angelo deflected Di Napoli's corner past his own 'keeper, Lupatelli. Corini
equalised from the penalty spot after Pavan handled in the box.

Attendance : 6,950


FIORENTINA			1-1			BOLOGNA
Gonzalez 45						Cruz 61

Gonzalez scored from a rebound after Pagliuca had parried Adriano's header.
Pierini headed Brioschi's cross straight to Cruz, 1-1. Adriano missed an open
goal after muscling his way through Bologna's defence. 

Attendance : 15,000


JUVENTUS			1-0			VERONA
Nedved 39

Nedved was the only Juve player not hung over from the mid-week mauling by
Leverkusen and tested Ferron with a brilliant long range strike and also shot
wide of the post before scoring the winning goal. Davids intercepted a loose
ball and flicked it onto Nedved, he took a return pass from Amoruso and blasted
the ball into the net. Trezeguet missed a couple of half chances. Mutu had
Verona's only notable effort but volleyed wide of the post.

Attendance : 30,000
Assist : Amoruso


LECCE				1-2			INTER
Vugrinec 92						Recoba 41, 68

Inter took the lead against the run of play having survived constant pressure
from Lecce. Vieri released Recoba on the counter attack, he carried the ball
60yds, sent Piangerelli on his backside with a superb flick, raced away from
two defenders and rolled the ball under Chimenti. Toldo made a phenomenal
one handed save to deny Giacomazzi a certain equaliser just before half time.
One of THE most spectacular saves of the season. Recoba scored an easy
second from a rebound after Chimenti blocked from Seedorf. Toldo made
another miracle save from Vugrinec's penalty. Vugrinec scored a late
consolation goal as the Inter defence stood appealing for offside.

Toldo was out of this World.

Attendance : 29,700
Assists : Vieri, Piangerelli 


PERUGIA				2-1			PARMA
Vryzas 8							Bonazzoli 65
Bazzani 29

Cordoba's huge goal kick sailed over the Parma defence and Vryzas drilled the
ball past Taffarel. Bazzani doubled Perugia's lead with a bullet header from a
corner. Bonazzoli scored from a rebound after Cordoba saved from Nakata.
A horrible miss by Sukur late in the match meant  Parma went away empty
handed.

Attendance : 15,000
Assists : Cordoba, O'Neill


UDINESE			1-1			PIACENZA
Muzzi 88							Gautieri 35

Hubner chased down a long ball and whipped a cross into the box. Di Francesco
laid it into the path of Sommese and he squared the ball to Gautieri who
crashed into the post as he scored.

Udinese, who dominated the second half, were lucky not to concede a second.
Turci made a phenomenal point blank save from Cacci. Minutes later Muzzi's
overhead kick gave them a share of the points.

Attendance : 16,000
Assist : Sommese
Red Card : Statuto 53 (Piacenza)


16 MARCH 2002

ROMA				3-1			ATALANTA
Montella 17, 68						Doni 84
Carrera 29 (og)

Assuncao let fly with a free kick, Montella, with his back to goal, stuck out a
foot and sent the ball past Taibi. If he meant to do it, it was an awesome
finish. A rare moment of quality by Roma prior to the second goal. Cassano
and Candela swapped passes on the left flank, Cassano tried to pick out
Tommasi, the ball rolled across the box, Carrera tried to clear but put the
ball in his own net. Cafu headed against the crossbar. Cassano helped on a
huge long ball from Aldair with a superb cushioned header and Montella
banged his shot in off Taibi to complete a dodgy hat-trick. Atalanta were
awarded an indirect free kick inside the box after Doni had been fouled.
Figure that one out. Foglio rolled the ball forward and Doni smashed it past
Antonioli.

Assists : Assuncao (fk), Cassano, Foglio (fk)
Attendance : 56,000


R Mehdi