PARTNERS IN CRIME

More controversial refereeing helps Juventus defeat Inter. A fantastic goal 
by Signori sinks Roma leaving neighbour Lazio and Juventus sharing top
spot. 

11 DECEMBER 1999

MILAN				2-0			TORINO
Bierhoff 2
Shevchenko 75 (Pen)

Maldini flicked on Boban's cross, Bierhoff volleyed home.

In the second half both 'keeper made great saves, Abbiati from Cruz's free
kick and Bierhoff was once again denied by Bucci. Artistico missed an open
goal with the Milan defence stood appealing for offside. More terrible
defending gifted Lentini a chance but he just missed the inside of the post.
Shevchenko talked the ref into awarding a penalty after a bit of shirt
pulling. He put away the spot kick.

Attendance : 40,000


LECCE				1-0			BARI
Conticchio 62

Chances were few and far between due to horrid conditions. Olivares
burst through the defence but was denied by Chimenti. A super winner for
Lecce, Conticchio turned his marker in the box and curled the ball past
Mancini. Spinesi and Lima were sent off for fighting, Spinesi throw an
elbow, Lima threw a palm to his face. De Rosa was sent off for shoulder
charging Sesa after the ref had stopped play. 

Attendance : 21,423
Red Card(s) : Lima 64 (Lecce), Spinesi 64 (Bari), De Rosa 71 (Bari)


12 DECEMBER 1999

BOLOGNA			1-0			ROMA
Signori 25

Montella chipped Pagliuca but his shot came off the post. Paganin launched
a throw in into the box, Andersson headed on and Signori blasted an volley
past former team-mate Antonioli. Nervo missed a similar chance minutes
later. Bologna kept catching Roma out with balls over the top, Signori
going close on several occasions. Pagliuca made a point blank save from
Montella's header. Delvecchio blasted a shot against the post. Pagliuca
made an incredible save from Candela's free kick. Ze Elias wasted a great
chance to make the game safe. Pagliuca once again came to Bologna's rescue
to keep out Delvecchio and Cafu.

Attendance : 30,038


LAZIO				2-0			FIORENTINA
Boksic 15
Stankovic 71

Boksic ran onto Veron's defence splitting pass and drilled a low shot past
Toldo. An identical move from Lazio should have led to the second goal
but Stankovic couldn't find the finish to match Mancini's great pass. Toldo
made great saves from Stankovic and Mancini.

Lazio continued to dominate in the second half, Boksic missing an open goal
with Toldo caught in no man's land on the edge of the box. Stankovic scored
a deserved second, heading in Mihajlovic's cross.

Attendance : 48,000


PIACENZA			0-0			PERUGIA

Gautieri wasted Piacenza's best chance, heading over from Stroppa's corner.

Attendance : 9,000


REGGINA			1-1			CAGLIARI
Kallon 58						Mayele 42

Oliveira was sent off for a ludicrous, over the top foul on Pralja. Kallon
missed an easy chance. Lopez almost scored an own goal. Macellari headed
against the post. Mayele headed in Macellari's corner to give Cagliari the
lead.

Reggi flicked on Morabito's long ball, Kallon lifted it over Scarpi. Reggi
blasted a shot off the inside of the crossbar. Reggina should have been
awarded a penalty for blatant shirt pulling by Mayele on Giacchetta inside
the box.

Attendance : 21,051
Red Card(s) : Oliveira 1 (Cagliari)


UDINESE			3-3			VERONA
Muzzi 29							Sottil 10 (og)
Locatelli 56						Adailton 27, 48
Sottil 62

Sottil brilliantly turned Mellis' shot past his own 'keeper, in off the post.
Adailton squeezed a shot inside the post. Gargo headed on Bisgaard's corner,
Muzzi hooked the ball past Frey.

Salvetti picked out Adailton with a huge pass, the Brazilian sprinted away
from Sottil and lifted the ball over Turci. Locatelli's shot took a wicked
deflection off Franceschetti giving Frey no chance. Sottil made amends for
an own goal with the equaliser punishing more abysmal marking from a corner.
Frey made a great save to keep out Muzzi. Daina was sent off for pulling down
Jorgensen.  Another fantastic save from Frey from Poggi earned Verona a
point.

Attendance : 23,000
Red Card(s) : Diana 73 (Verona)


VENEZIA				0-2			PARMA
							Cannavaro 18
							Crespo 78

Cannavaro gave Parma the lead after Venezia failed to clear Fuser's corner.
Stanic managed to miss an open goal from about 2 inches out (most of you
will be familiar with 2 inches!). Konsel was sent off for handling outside
the box. Micillo forced Buffon into a good save. Walem was sent off for sort
of pulling down Valtolina, his second bookable offence. 

Crespo creamed Pedone and Luppi with superb dummies but he seemed to let
down great approach play with a tame shot but Cassaza let it slip through
his fingers.

Attendance : 8,446
Red Card(s) : Konsel 28 (Venezia), Walem 40 (Parma)


JUVENTUS			1-0			INTER
Inzaghi 19

A mistake by Montero let in Zamorano, as he ran towards goal Van der Sar
charged out of the box and flattened him with a criminal sliding tackle.
Typically he escaped with a yellow card. Birindelli intercepted Panucci's
hospital pass and picked out Del Piero, he breezed past Blanc and Inzaghi
put away his centre with a great first time strike. Inzaghi tried to return
the favour for his strike partner but Del Piero couldn't find the finish to
match Inzaghi's fine work. Peruzzi saved at the feet of Inzaghi, once again
put through by Del Piero.

Lippi brought on Recoba at the start of the second half and he probably
played his worst ever match in a Juve shirt. Vieri raced onto a long ball
from Panucci, Van der Sar charged out and clipped Vieri's heels as he
headed for goal he then got up and blocked Zamorano's follow up shot with
his chest. After consulting with his linesman the ref decided Van der Sar
had used his arm and gave him a red card but no penalty for Inter. Inter
continued in vain to look for the equaliser but couldn't find their way
through an impregnable Juventus defence. Lippi threw on Baggio to no effect.
The only noteworthy chances fell to Juve on the counter attack, Davids
blasted a shot off the inside of the post, Kovacevic blazed over from
Birindelli's cross, Birindelli was denied by a fabulous tackle from Panucci.

Red Card(s) : Van der Sar 60 (Juventus)