Lazio Held 0-0 By Parma, Juventus Stay Top
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
ROME, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Lazio were held to a goalless draw at home to Parma on Sunday to leave Juventus a point clear at the top of the Italian first division.
The Rome side needed a victory at the Olympic Stadium to overhaul Juve, who had climbed to the top of the pile earlier in the day courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 defeat of mid-table Lecce. But although they had the better of the late match and their Croatian striker Alen Boksic had two worthwhile penalty appeals, both turned down, Lazio failed to find the back of the net.
Juventus lead Serie A on 44 points from Lazio on 43 and defending champions AC Milan on 41. Juve and Lazio have now swapped the league leadership five times over the last eight championship rounds and have emerged as title favourites but they now face a clear challenge from a rejuvenated Milan, whose 3-2 win at Bologna on Saturday was their third straight league victory.
Juventus had to play the whole of the second half of their match in Turin with 10 men after midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi was sent off in the 44th minute for protesting a booking after he had tripped Brazilian midfielder Lima.
But Zinedine Zidane's 26th minute goal, his fourth since the New Year, was enough to give Carlo Ancelotti's three points and avenge Juve's 2-0 loss at Lecce in September -- their only league defeat this season.
Behind the leading three sides stand AS Roma, who had captain Francesco Totti sent off after just 20 minutes at Perugia and then threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2.
REFEREE PUSHED
Totti was dismissed for pushing referee Gennaro Borriello during an argument about a Perugia defensive wall breaching the 10-metre rule. Television replays showed he gave the official a gentle shove in the chest after being booked for dissent. He was immediately dismissed.
Four minutes later Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata scored against his former club with a delicate lob and when team mate Vincenzo Montella slotted home a penalty kick in the 42nd minute, Roma appeared well set.
But Perugia staged a comeback after the break, midfielder Renato Olive scoring in the 54th and 82nd minutes to wipe out the visitors' lead and earn his side a valuable point. Roma coach Fabio Capello was dismissed from the bench for complaining about the corner kick from which Olive scored his second goal.
"I told the linesman that the corner he had just given didn't exist... The only answer I got was a dismissal," the former AC Milan and Real Madrid coach said. "We have to respect referees but at the same time they have to respect us and not treat us like kids...I don't understand why every Sunday we have to hold out our hands to be caned."
Inter Milan also struggled and needed a 31st minute equaliser from a revitalised Christian Vieri to salvage a 1-1 draw at the San Siro against Vieri's former club Torino. Uruguayan defender Gustavo Mendez gave Torino the lead in the 20th minute before Vieri headed home an Alvaro Recoba cross for his third goal in four days and his 11th of the campaign.
Gabriel Batistuta came to Fiorentina's rescue again, finding the net for the third consecutive weekend to earn Giovanni Trapattoni's side a 1-1 home draw at home to Udinese and take his season's tally to 15.
