SERIE A ROUND 1
 
1 September 2003

ANCONA					0-2			MILAN
								Shevchenko 29, 75

Shevchenko set the European Champions on their way with a monstrous free kick which
bounced wickedly in front of Scarpi. Maldini and Bilica were sent off for an ugly incident
just before the hour mark. Maldini cleared a ball and almost collided with Bilica, Bilica tried
to push him away, Maldini ran after him and delivered a forearm smash to the back of
the head, Bilica threw an elbow. Maldini really show know better at this stage of his career.
The match then came to life, thanks largely to Kaka. He raced onto a ball down the left,
left a defender in his wake but finished poorly with the 'keeper off his line. Minutes later
he should have done better when Shevchenko sent him in on goal. There was an incredible
escape for Ancona minutes later when Shevchenko forced a corner. Serginho whipped the
ball into the box, Scarpi made a fantastic save to deny Laursen, Shevchenko struck the outside
of the post on the rebound and Laursen tried his luck again but this time Scarpi held on.
Kaka started a counter attack with a delightful piece of skill, he pulled down a high ball
then hit a superb pass out wide to Cafu, Cafu hit a first time pass into Shevchenko, he
controlled with his left, shot with his right, 0-2, game set and match Milan. Seedorf wasted
a chance to add a third one again Shevchenko supplying the pass. He must have been
watching tapes of Van Basten because he's never passed as well or as unselfishly as he did
today.

Shevchenko first brace in almost 2 seasons. A fantastic debut from the two footed Kaka.
Rui Costa is history, I hope.

Attendance : 25,000
Assists : Serginho (won fk), Cafu
Red Cards : Maldini 58 (Milan), Bilica 58 (Ancona)


31 August 2003

BRESCIA					1-1			CHIEVO
A Filippini 57 (Pen)						Lanna 12

Chievo made a lively start with Sculi giving Brescia all sorts of problems.
He laid off the ball in midfield to Lanna who had made a run from defence,
Lanna hit a totally speculative shot from about 30 yds which Castellazzi
parried into his own net. Moro fell when challenging for a cross, Pisano fell
over him so an obvious penalty. Filippini converted as Baggio was on the bench.

Attendance : 12,000
Assists : Sculi, Pisano (won pen)


INTER					2-0			MODENA
Vieri 86
Materazzi 93

Having brilliantly controlled a pass, turned his marker and beat the 'keeper
Vieri shot against the post from a yard out. Substitute Helveg presented him
with a similar chance and this time he didn't miss. Materazzi sealed victory
with a blistering free kick. 

Attendance : 60,000
Assists : Helveg, Martins (won fk)


JUVENTUS				5-1			EMPOLI
Del Piero 16, 51							Di Natale 87
Trezeguet 61, 74
Di Vaio 85 (Pen)

Del Piero headed in Zambrotta cross. Empoli wasted several chances to equalise
before Juve blew them of the pitch in the second half. Del Piero hit a low free kick
past Bucci and the former Parma 'keeper almost killed himself when trying to keep
out another Del Piero free kick. From a corner, not sure if it was the same one, Bucci
palmed the ball straight to Trezeguet, 3-0. Three defenders managed to leave Trezeguet
unmarked in the box and he duly punished them with his second goal. Di Vaio dived to
win and convert a pen. Di Natale looked miles offside when Rocchi played him in for a
late consolation goal.

Attendance : 31,000
Assists : Zambrotta, Del Piero (won fk), Zambrotta, Di Vaio (won pen), Rocchi


LAZIO					4-1			LECCE
Albertini 20							Konan 50
Corradi 25
Fiore 36
Oddo 84

Albertini scored a rare goal from open play. He turned inside a packed penalty
area before squeezing the ball inside the post. Corradi tapped in a second goal
on the rebound and Fiore made it 3-0 with a fantastic left foot volley. Konan headed
in a consolation goal early in the scored half as Lazio stepped off the gas. Lecce
could have actually scored a hat-full in the second half but couldn't finish and just
to rub it in Oddo got himself on the score sheet with a deflected effort.

Attendance : 47,700
Assists : Lopez (x2), Tonetto


PERUGIA					2-2			SIENA
Vryzas 9								Ardito 19
Bothroyd 27							Taddei 49

Vryzas, guilty of some incredible misses last season, slammed in from close range
after Bothroyd and Tedesco headed on a free kick. Ardito headed Siena level 10
minutes later. Bothroyd became the first Englishman to score in Serie A since
er Danny Diccio with a marvellous individual effort. He controlled a long ball on
his chest, turned, ran through a tackle, held off a defender then fired past Rossi.
Taddei hit an extraordinary equaliser. Flo headed down a cross, Taddei flicked up
the ball with his left foot then hit a right foot volley, sending the ball screaming
into the top corner.

Attendance : 12,000
Assists : Tedesco, Flo


UDINESE				1-2			ROMA
Kroldrup 26							Delvecchio 13
								Montella 70

Emerson and new boy Mancini, yes the same Mancini who is an absolute legend
in Championship Manager 4, combined for Roma's equaliser. Emerson sprayed the ball
out wide to Mancini, he fired a low cross into the box and Delvecchio stabbed past
De Sanctis. Kroldrup equalised from a corner. Bertotto's red card was very harsh,
Dacourt deserved his for a blatant handball. Cassano robbed Pinzi, ghosted into
the box and centred for Montella who cheekily back heeled into the net.

Attendance : 15,000
Red Cards : Bertotto 50 (Udinese), Dacourt 62 (Roma)
Assists : Mancini, Sensini, Cassano


BOLOGNA				2-2			PARMA
Guly 7								Adriano 19, 85
Locatelli 77

Guly, who couldn't buy a goal at Inter, took seven minutes to score on his Bologna debut
from a rebound after Signori's corner came back off a post. Adriano laid siege to the
Bologna goal and finally got his reward with a trademark left foot missile. Both teams
then created and wasted a glut of chances. Locatelli came off the bench to volley Bologna
back into the lead but Adriano made sure Parma earned a deserved share of the points in
this pulsating encounter when he headed in 5 minutes from time though Pagliuca, who
started showing his age last season, should have done better.

Assists : ?, Rossini, Marchionni


30 August 2003

REGGINA				2-2			SAMPDORIA
Cozza 5								Bazzani 64
Di Michele 40							Diana 73

Cozza scored the first goal of the season with a thumping free kick. Di Michele ran onto
Mozart's long ball and managed to hold off Falcone, who was all over him, Antonioli ran
off his line and froze giving Di Michele time to pick his spot. Bazzani got Samp back into
the match with a great header from Flachi's cross and Diana levelled with another header,
this time from Volpi's free kick.

Assists : ?, Mozart, Flachi, Volpi (fk)
Attendance : 21,000


European Champions Milan play on Monday, away to Ancona.

R Mehdi