SERIE A ROUND 26
 
MORFEO WINS SCUDETTO FOR JUVE?

Juve triumph in the Turin derby and all their title contenders screw-up.
Lazio go down to a brilliant strike by Morfeo, Roma and Milan suffer
embarrassing defeats against teams in the bottom half of the table and Inter
are held by Bologna. Juve are 9 points clear with 8 games to go. Next week
Lazio need to win the Rome derby and hope Milan defeat Juve otherwise
the title race is over.

18 MARCH 2000

INTER				1-1			BOLOGNA
Recoba 49						Paramatti 84

Ventola wasted a great chance to score against his 'old' club, heading wide
from Paramatti's cross. Recoba banged in a free kick. Georgatos cleared a
shot off his line. Paramatti flashed a shot wide from outside the box,
volleyed over the bar and then headed in the equaliser from Signori's free
kick. 

Bologna are one of Inter's bogey teams, along with Bari. Inter were 
surprisingly lacklustre and continued where they left off last week, took the
lead, invited pressure and threw away three points.


FIORENTINA			2-0			CAGLIARI
Batistuta 18
Mijatovic 60

Shock, horror, a subtle Batistuta goal! He lifted the ball over Scarpi from
Chiesa's brilliantly weighted pass and also had a hand in the second,
Scarpi blocked his shot but the ball bounced to the back post and Mijatovic
headed in. About as comfortable as Fiorentina have looked all season.


19 MARCH 2000

BARI				0-2			PERUGIA
							Amoruso 21,
							38 (Pen)

Amoruso gave Perugia the lead with a powerful header from Esposito's cross.
Garyza handled in the box and Amoruso grabbed his second from the penalty
spot. Amoruso got himself sent off for pushing Marcolini in the face after
Marcolini chastised him for diving. Mazzantini made two fantastic saves from
Spinesi. Bari created plenty of chances but kept shooting inches wide.

Red Card(s) : Amoruso 56 (Perugia)
Attendance : 16,000


JUVENTUS			3-2			TORINO
Brambilla 23 (og)						Ferrante 33,
Lentini 67 (og)						88 (Pens)
Del Piero 72 (Pen)

Brambilla inadvertently gave Juve the lead when he attempted to cut out a
Del Piero through pass. Silenzi missed a sitter after Juve failed to deal
with Brambilla's cross. Ferrante threw himself down in the box under a
'challenge' from Iuliano, the first home penalty Juve have conceded in a
year, Ferrante smashed the ball past Van der Sar. Another own goal,
Tacchinardi's corner took a wicked deflection off Lentini's thigh past
Bucci. Two more dodgy penalties awarded for a dive by Zambrotta and
when Tricarico attempted an overhead kick!?!

Attendance : 60,000


PARMA				1-0			PIACENZA
Crespo 63 (Pen)

Parma were awarded a penalty when Walem's free kick was handled in the
box. Crespo converted. Piacenza were awarded a penalty of their own when
Di Napoli made a meal of Thuram's challenge and for the second time in recent
weeks he missed a penalty, embarrassingly chipping the ball high over the bar.

Attendance : 18,000


ROMA				0-2			REGGINA
							Cozza 28
							Cirillo 87

Cirillo launched a ball upfield, Cafu and Aldair watched it bounce over their
heads and Cozza brilliantly kept his composure as Antonioli charged off his
line to chip Reggina in front. Totti found himself free in front of goal as
Reggina sprung their offside trap but shot against the post. Kallon played a
one-two with the fallen Aldair and released Cirillo on the left wing, the
Roma defence were typically standing on the half way line which allowed
Cirillo to run in and pick his spot. 

Roma rarely troubled Taibi. At the start of the season several people on
the rec.sport.soccer newsgroup (myself included) asked who would Capello
piss off first? The answer is Roma's Golden Boy Totti who gave a lengthy
interview to a magazine this week and complained about the arrival of Nakata
and hinted at a move to a 'big Northern club.'. Milan have been linked with
Totti for several months now and must be favourites for his signature given
Juve have already signed O'Neill for next season.

Attendance : 56,000


UDINESE			2-1			LECCE
Sosa 24							Sesa 36
Warley 84

Jorgensen flicked on a ball in midfield, Fiore crossed to the far post and
Sosa volleyed in. Jorgensen wasted a great chance to score, he stole the ball
as Chimenti was about to launch a goal kick, turned and shot over the bar,
such a pathetic miss even the ref took pity on him. Sesa equalised when his
shot took a wicked deflection off Gargo. Udinese continued to waste chances,
victims of over-elaborate play but they scored a deserved winner when
Chimenti spilled a tame shot from Sottil and Warley buried the loose ball.

Attendance : 18,000


VENEZIA				1-0			MILAN
Maniero 11

Two early mistakes by Milan's coach, he benched Abbiati and started with
Albertini. Two ex-Milan players were involved in what proved to be the
winning goal, Ganz crossed to the back post and Maniero blasted a superb
volley past Rossi. Rossi then pathetically tried to shepard a ball out of
play, Ganz stole the ball off him and shot towards goal but Costacurta
cleared. Cardone, another former Milan player, caught Maldini napping on the
edge of his box but dragged his shot wide.

Berg blazed over from close range from another great cross by Ganz. Casazza
made a fabulous save from Ambrosini, Milan's first shot on target. Ambrosini
did one of his trademark dives in the box but justice was served when Casazza
saved Leonardo's weak spot kick. Costacurta made a fabulous tackle to deny
Maniero a second goal after he was released by Berg. Costacurta was Milan's
best defender, that says it all. Helveg headed against the post and Jose Mari
couldn't get a touch on the rebound.

Attendance : 11,900


VERONA				1-0			LAZIO
Morfeo 29

Lazio should have been awarded a penalty when Laursen stiff armed Salas in
the box. Frey made a fantastic save to deny Salas and the Chilean wasted
a header from close range. The Lazio defence watched a Cammarata cross sail
to the far post and Morfeo volleyed past Marchegiani. Mihajlovic was booked
for pulling down Cammarata which means he misses next week's Rome derby.
Ravanelli went looking for a penalty. Morfeo headed over from close range
and Frey continued to frustrate Salas with two more brilliant close range
blocks. Nesta went off for a hamstring injury. Mancini and Morfeo got booked
for a girly fight on the touchlines.

Attendance : 19,600