Eurosport - Sun, 11 Jan 21:57:00 2009
Alessandro Del Piero's first-half free-kick gave Juventus a 1-0 home win over Siena in Serie A.
Del Piero's spectacular goal helped the Bianconeri close the gap on leaders Internazionale to four points.
An even first half saw Juventus have more of the ball while Siena created the better opportunities.
Amauri and Del Piero barely got a sniff despite the endeavours of wide duo Pavel Nedved and Marco Marchionni.
Marchionni got into good positions on the right but could not find the delivery to match his running, and both he and Nedved were wasteful from free-kicks.
Siena, meanwhile, threatened through Houssine Kharja in particular.
The Moroccan sent an early low drive wide of the far post from a good position in the area and, mid-way through the first half, he poked a close-range effort wide.
Siena also thought they should have had a penalty when Zdenek Grygera handled in the box but the referee deemed contact accidental.
Juve's 34th-minute goal, therefore, came somewhat against the run of play.
Lukas Jarolim fouled Nedved around 28 yards out and Del Piero stepped up to send a sweetly-struck free-kick in off the inside of the left-hand post.
It was a spectacular strike from the evergreen Del Piero and his seventh Serie A goal so far this season.
Juventus then controlled the match with Siena seemingly unable to get over conceding.
Amauri started to see more of the ball, with two half-chances early in the second half and once incident when he was incorrectly called offside after a superb through-ball by Del Piero.
Del Piero's 73rd-minute shot into the side netting after good play from Amauri was Juve's only further chance of note, while Siena almost snatched an unlikely equaliser when stand-in keeper Alex Manninger spilled Abdelkader Ghezzal's long-range drive behind for a corner.Bologna 1 Chievo 1
Sergio Pellissier glanced in a close-range header from a free kick just before the interval to give bottom side Chievo the lead in their 1-1 draw at Bologna.
The home side equalised almost immediately when Marco Di Vaio converted a penalty after being hauled down in the battle between the two promoted clubs. Gaby Mudingayi was sent off for the hosts nine minutes from time.
- - - -
Fiorentina 1 Lecce 2
The promoted visitors won their first league game in 13 attempts and condemned Fiorentina to their first Serie A defeat at home this season.
Guillermo Giacomazzi sprung the offside trap and coolly finished to give Lecce a surprise early lead. Midfielder Felipe Melo's header put Fiorentina level but Lecce were quickly back in front on 28 minutes when Jose Castillo rounded keeper Sebastien Frey to score despite appeals he was offside.
Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu, who has suffered elbow problems this season, was stretchered off clutching his arm and Pablo Osvaldo was sent off in injury time for dissent.
- - - -
Napoli 1 Catania 0
The home side had most of the play but could not find a breakthrough until Christian Maggio controversially tapped in for victory with 10 minutes to go amid Catania appeals for offside.
Napoli wasted an earlier chance when Marek Hamsik's penalty was saved by Albano Bizzarri midway through the second half.
Takayuki Morimoto thought he had given Catania the lead only to find the referee had blown up for half-time just as he received the ball.
- - - -
Palermo 3-2 Atalanta
Palermo striker Edinson Cavani hooked in from a tight angle to settle an extraordinary game.
The home side made a strong start and were rewarded when striker Fabrizio Miccoli lashed in midway through the first period after Atalanta's defence failed to deal with a long ball.
Australia midfielder Marco Bresciano prodded in Palermo's second on 39 minutes with Atalanta's backline again ripped apart.
The visitors pulled one back in the second period through Sergio Floccari's header and Ferreira Pinto turned in at the far post to equalise before Cavani struck on 81 minutes.
- - - -
Reggina 2 Lazio 3
Goran Pandev's simple hat-trick handed Lazio victory and left Reggina in the drop zone after a topsy-turvy match.
The hosts had gone ahead on four minutes when Bernardo Corradi slotted in a penalty after Lazio keeper Juan Pablo Carrizo had upended Franco Brienza but escaped a red card.
Macedonia striker Pandev brought his side level with a deflected effort on 14 minutes before being allowed to chest down and slam home again from close range.
Francesco Cozza thought he had snatched a point for Reggina with a tap-in but Pandev popped up again on 76 minutes to win it.
- - - -
Udinese 1 Sampdoria 1
Maurizio Domizzi's scrambled equaliser gave faltering Udinese a deserved draw after a clever header from Gennaro Delvecchio 12 minutes into the second half had put Samp 1-0 up.
Simone Pepe's dipping free kick was the best chance of the first half for the home side while Antonio Di Natale blasted just over.
Comment 1 - 3 of 3
Juve do what comes natural to them , they win titles.
Juve to win serie A, forza Juve.
Siemper Juventino. Forza Del Pierro
Del Piero is the BEST EVER!...Juventus will win Serie A!!!!
Forza JUVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
Please login to post a comment
Not already a Yahoo! user ? Sign up to get a free Yahoo! Account