Juventus, Reggina Have Reversed Course Since Opener
ROME (AP) -- Back in August, Reggina played the first Serie A match in the franchise's 85-year history, and the result was a shocker: a 1-1 draw at powerhouse Juventus.
Reggina's players, coach and owner pointed to the auspicious debut as a sign that the club from Italy's poor south was ready to compete in the top flight.
The result also set off alarms at Juventus, owner of a record 25 league titles. Maybe last season's seventh-place finish was not a fluke, some said. The midfield looked slow, the defense suspect, the attack weak.
But when the clubs meet again Sunday in Week 18, this time at Reggio Calabria, Juventus is in its customary spot atop the standings and Reggina is fighting to avoid a quick return trip to Serie B. With the season at its midpoint, Reggina is 3-8-6 and stands just one point away from the relegation zone.
Juventus (10-6-1, 36 points) is undefeated in its last 13 games and boasts the league's stingiest defense, with just eight goals allowed.
The team's biggest concern is its attack, which has produced 22 goals, putting it seventh in Serie A. One of the bright spots, in limited duty, has been Darko Kovacevic, and the Yugoslav forward will now get a chance to start because Filippo Inzaghi has a leg muscle injury.
"It's true, we haven't been scoring many goals," coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "But it's a temporary problem, I'm sure. Forwards are streaky."
Kovacevic has been Juve's designated "cup scorer," pouring in a dozen goals in Intertoto, UEFA and Italian Cup action. But the Reggina match will be his first start in Serie A.
He'll line up alongside Alessandro Del Piero, whose four goals this season have all been off penalty kicks.
Juve's defense will have to key on Mohamed Kallon, the 20-year-old from Sierra Leone who has scored eight of Reggina's 18 goals.
When Juventus takes to the field, it will know how two of its closest pursuers did in their Week 18 encounters. Second-place Lazio (10-5-2, 35 points) plays at Cagliari on Saturday night, while AS Roma (9-5-3, 32) hosts Piacenza on Saturday afternoon.
Lazio has won just one of its last three outings and tumbled out of first place.
"We won't lose faith in ourselves," coach Sven Goran Eriksson said. "It's a mental thing. We just have to work hard and stay calm."
At Cagliari, the Roman club will be without leading scorer Marcelo Salas (eight goals), who suffered a rib injury two weeks ago.
Roma could be missing two ill starters: Brazilian defender A.C. Zago and forward Marco Delvecchio (who missed last week's 3-1 win over Verona). If Delvecchio can't play again, coach Fabio Capello likely will stick with the formation he used against Verona, with captain Francesco Totti moved up to a natural striker position and new acquisition Hidetoshi Nakata sliding into Totti's customary playmaking spot.
Sunday's games are Bari vs. Fiorentina, AC Milan vs. Lecce, Torino vs. Bologna, Udinese vs. Venezia, and Verona vs. Internazionale of Milan.
AC Parma, which is tied for third place with Roma, hosts Perugia, loser of three straight games by a combined score of 13-0, Sunday night.
