SERIE A ROUND 34
 
CAMPIONE! CAMPIONE! LAZIO CAMPIONE!

For the second successive season the scudetto is decided at Perugia.
A torrential downpour delays the start of the second half of their home tie
against Juventus. Lazio, having already defeated Reggina, endure a dramatic
second half which sees Juve spurn several glorious chances and fall to a goal
scored by Calori thus handing the title to the Roman club for only the
second time in their history. Elsewhere Milan secure a Champions league place
and a Shevchenko penalty ensures he finishes his first season as Serie A top
scorer despite a Batistuta hat-trick. Inter and Parma face a play-off for
the remaining Champions League place.

14 MAY 2000

BARI				1-1			BOLOGNA
Osmanovski 8						Signori 23 (Pen)

A mistake by the usually reliable Paramatti gave Bari the lead, Osmanovski
converting Del Grosso's cross. Signori converted a penalty awarded for
handball. Dal Canto made a fantastic block on the line to deny Innocenti a
certain goal.


CAGLIARI			0-2			INTER
							Baggio 75 (Pen)
							Zamorano 89

Peruzzi made an incredible save from Macellari's free kick. Abeijon was sent
off for a foul on Baggio. Zamorano dived in the box, Baggio converted.
Zamorano ended his goal drought from a great Seedorf pass.

Red Cards : Abeijon 66, Mayele 76


FIORENTINA			3-0			VENEZIA
Batistuta 8, 19, 83

Batistuta was credited with the opening goal although from the replays that
were shown he didn't make any contact with Pierini's shot. No doubt who
scored the second, Batistuta with a trademark, net busting free kick.
Batistuta headed Tarozzi's cross off the underside of the post and completed
his hat-trick from Rui Costa's through pass.


LAZIO				3-0			REGGINA
Inzaghi 33 (Pen)
Veron 37 (Pen)
Simeone 59

Two first half penalties, one for handball and the other a dive by Pancaro.
Simeone headed in Veron's free kick. The fans stormed onto the pitch,
stripped the players of their clothing and camped on the pitch before the
final whistle at Perugia sent them into ecstasy and restored some much needed
creditability to the most prestigious league Championship in Europe. Bravo
Lazio.

MILAN				4-0			UDINESE
Bierhoff 12
Shevchenko 40 (Pen)
West 61
Leonardo 86

Shevchenko missed an open goal when released by Albertini. Bierhoff headed 
Milan into the lead from a fabulous Albertini free kick. Shevchenko threw
himself over Gargo's legs after the midfielder had already been sent on his
backside by the Ukrainian. He converted from the spot. West headed in
Leonardo's free kick. Bierhoff and Shevchenko went close before Leonardo
scored the pick of the goals, Shevchenko floated over a cross to Bierhoff.
he headed back across goal and Leonardo scored with a beautiful flick
volley. Shevchenko blew another great chance late on but had a tremendous
game and ran the Udinese defence ragged.


PARMA				4-1			LECCE
Di Vaio 3						Lucarelli 71
Stanic 53, 86
Crespo 56 (Pen)

Parma's new kit is awful, white shirt with a big black cross in the middle.
Di Vaio gave them an early lead from Cannavaro's quickly taken free kick.
Bolano smashed a shot off the post. Conticchio was sent off for NOT fouling
Thuram. Stanic made the most of a fortunate deflection to score Parma's
second and Crespo converted a penalty after Cannavaro was fouled in the box.
Lucarelli pulled one back. Paolo Cannavaro came on for his older brother.
Stanic headed in Thuram's cross.

Red Cards : Conticchio 39 (Lecce)


PERUGIA				1-0			JUVENTUS
Calori 50

Amoruso went close with a half volley then it was all Juve. Inzaghi dragged
a volley wide and Zidane blew a 100% chance following a defensive mix-up.
The second half was delayed due to a waterlogged pitch. Credit to the referee
Collina who realising the importance of the game continually inspected the
pitch and waited for the rain to relent. About 90 minutes later the second
half kicked off. Conte headed a free kick straight to Calori and despite not
making great contact his shot crept inside the post with Van der Sar rooted
on his line. Juve continued to waste chances, Inzaghi guilty of a Sunday
league football first touch from close range and for the second successive
week Zidane attempted a spectacular volley and missed the target. Zambrotta
was sent off for a criminal foul on Esposito. Mazzantini made a spectacular
save from Davids. Another treacherous miss by Inzaghi condemned Juve to
defeat despite 5 minutes of injury time.

Red Card : Zambrotta 74 (Juventus)


TORINO				2-1			PIACENZA
Ferrante 20, 30 (Pen)					Gilardino 17


Gilardino scored from Manighetti's via Tagliaferri's brilliant dummy.
Brambilla picked out Panarelli with a great pass, he fired the ball into the
box and Ferrante arrived to turn in at the near post. He then scored an ill
deserved penalty which he won himself.


VERONA				2-2			ROMA
Adailton 12						Tommasi 7
Cammarata 55						Montella 43

Tomassi headed in Candela's cross. Adailton should never have equalised
from a free kick at a poor angle but he did, not for the first time
Antonioli's poor positioning was to blame. Frey made an excellent save from
a Delvecchio volley. Montella scrambled in from close range after Candela
caused more problems with a cross. Antonioli made a great save from Marasco
who was involved in the equaliser, Diana turning his cross back for Cammarata
to blast in Verona's second. Not sure why Totti and Nakata weren't playing,
maybe they had a private scrap to decide who would be playmaker! As usual
on the last day of the season we had the ugly scenes of grown men walking
around in their underpants.