SERIE A ROUND 5
 
GAME OF THE SEASON!

Shevchenko fires a sensational hat-trick in an incredible match that sees
Milan come back from a two goal deficit to tie 4-4 away to Lazio. Roma end
Fiorentina's 22 month unbeaten home record with a highly impressive 3-1 
victory. Parma and Bologna finally get their first league victories of the
season. The Reggina fairytale is ended with defeat at Nakata's Perugia.

2 OCTOBER 1999

INTER				2-1			PIACENZA
Panucci 59						Dionigi 82 (Pen)
Ronaldo 69

Inter won a penalty when Sacchetti challenged Sousa for a ball. Inept
decision but Vieri's spot kick rebounded off the crossbar. Panucci headed in
Sousa's corner and Ronaldo came off the bench to score what proved to be
the winner when he bundled in a rebound. Piacenza were then awarded a
dubious penalty of their own when Cristallini did the acerbic leave your
leg trailing over the 'keeper trick. Dionigi converted.


CAGLIARI			1-1			TORINO
Mboma 7						Ferrante 51 (Pen)

Mboma scored from Morfeo's pass. Ferrante converted a penalty awarded for
handball. Lots of hard tackling, some miss timed which led to the red cards.

Red Card(s) : Grassadonia 46 (Cagliari), Villa 87 (Cagliari),
Pecchia 44 (Torino)


3 OCTOBER 1999

BARI				1-1			UDINESE
Innocenti 10						Warley 81

Innocenti brilliantly brought down a loose ball on the edge of the box with
his right foot and then smashed a shot past Turci with his left. Warely, who
looks like Amoroso, came off the bench to score Udinese's winner, blasting
Sosa's pass high into the net. Mancini pulled off a brilliant save to deny
Fiore late on.


Attendance : 20,000


BOLOGNA			2-0			LECCE
Fontolan 24
Signori 34

Kennet Andersson, back from Lazio, inspired Bologna to their first league win
of the season, they're buggered when he retires. A superb run by Wome led to
the first goal, Fontolan getting his foot to Wome's cross and Signori added a
second with a brilliant first time strike from Ze Elias's cross.

Attendance : 25,000


FIORENTINA			1-3			ROMA
Batistuta 75						Cafu 17, 66
							Tommasi 59

Totti's free kick was easily dealt with by the Fiorentina wall but Cafu
blasted the rebound past Toldo. Montella had a goal disallowed for a foul
on Repka. Batistuta struck the crossbar from a free kick and Rui Costa hit
the post following a mazy run into the box. Totti's picked out Tommasi with
a great ball over the top of Fiorentina's defence, he rounded Toldo and
scored into an empty net. Cafu helped himself to a second with another
great first time strike from Assuncao's pass and Delvecchio's outrageous
dummy. Batistuta pulled a goal back and Antonioli denied Rui Costa with
a great  save. Totti and Heinrich were sent off for arguing following a tussle.

An outstanding performance by Roma. Batistuta and Rui Costa were the only
players that looked dangerous for Fiorentina, Mijatovic and Chiesa might as
well not have played. Roma on the other hand had no shortage of attacking
options with Cafu, Totti, Assuncao, Montella and Delvecchio terrorising a
poor Fiorentina defence.

Red Card(s) : Heinrich 86 (Fiorentina), Totti 86 (Roma)
Attendance : 35,000


JUVENTUS			1-0			VENEZIA
Conte 93

Other than two half chances from Inzaghi, Juve rarely threatened. Del Piero
was so anonymous he was replaced by Kovacevic at half time. Venezia's
best chance fell to Maniero but his shot was cleared by Bachini. Kovacevic
headed on a long punt upfield, Inzaghi pressured the Venezia defence into
a clearance and Conte steamed in to fire the winner past Konsel.


PARMA				3-0			VERONA
Amoroso 3
Ortega 7
Crespo 35

Amoroso scored his first league goal of the season when sliding in to meet
Ortega's cross. Battistini made a mess of Vanoli's cross and Ortega gobbled
up the rebound. Amoroso got Battistini sent off with a cowardly dive. Crespo
swept Fuser's centre past sub 'keeper Frey. Amoroso had a goal disallowed
for offside. Parma could have scored 8 but for a great performance by Frey.

Red Card(s) : Battistini 8 (Verona)
Attendance : 18,000


PERUGIA				2-1			REGGINA
Stovini 9 (og)						Giacchetta 47
Nakata 27 (Pen)

Mazzantini launched a goal kick upfield as Melli chased the ball Stovini
tried to clear but ended up heading the ball past his own keeper. Nakata
rudely converted a penalty for a foul on Melli. Ciacchetta headed in
Baronio's free kick and was sent off for shoulder charging Nakata.

Red Card(s) : Giacchetta 65 (Reggina)
Attendance : 13,000


LAZIO				4-4			MILAN
Veron 17						Mihajlovic 34 (og)
Simeone 36						Shevchenko 43, 
Salas 38, 71						54 (Pen), 68

Veron punished a slack clearance by Ayala to give Lazio the lead and almost
grabbed a second but his drive struck the crossbar. Maldini and Shevchenko
combined to unleash Serginho on the left flank, he sent a perfect cross into
the box for Weah whose goal bound shot deflected off Mihajlovic past
Marchegiani. Simeone obstructed Abbiati as he tried to deal with a Mihajlovic
corner and ended up punching the ball into his own net. Poor decision by the
ref. Lazio raced into a 3-1 lead two minutes later following a great one
touch passing move between Salas, Boksic and Conceicao, Salas powerfully
heading past Abbiati. Shevchenko then took over. He brilliantly side stepped
sliding tackles from Favalli and Marchegiani before lifting the ball high
into the net. Awesome, awesome, awesome goal. Abbiati then pulled off 
his 101st miracle save of the season to deny Sala. Ambrosini threaded a ball
through the Lazio defence for Weah who was brought down by Marchegiani,
penalty obviously no red card. What am I missing here? I'm sick of this
crap. I make that three 'keepers who should have been sent off this week in
Serie A, admittedly all the penalties looked like dives but that's not the
point, if the ref awards a penalty for a foul by the 'keeper he should be
sent off. I'm e-mailing FIFA, UEFA, the Pope, The Marines, someone, anyone
stop this bullshit! Anyway Shevchenko converted and then completed his
his-track when an awesome first touch from Weah's pass gave him a yard on
Nesta and he finished with ease. Ayala blocked Inzaghi's shot and the Milan
defence stood still and admired Veron's centre for Salas, 4-4. Abbiati then
denied Salas with another great save.

Milan have an awesome attack, great midfield, apart from Albertini of course
but such a shitty defence. Abbiati is the best 'keeper in the World and the
last time I saw a player give a display of finishing as incredible as
Shevchenko's was in the days of Van Basten. Watch the goals, get a tape
of this match at all costs. Incredible. I said on the Milan mailing list this
match would show which team are the pretenders and which team are the
contenders. Draw your own conclusions.

Attendance : 65,000