Inzaghi Scores Twice as Juve Break Free
MILAN, March 12 (Reuters) - Striker Filippo Inzaghi scored twice as Juventus carved out a dogged 2-0 win at bottom club Piacenza on Sunday to extend their lead at the top of the Italian first division to six points.
Inzaghi struck in the 68th and 74th minutes to take his league tally for the season to 15.
Both goals were created by striking partner Alessandro Del Piero, who set up the first with a free-kick after he had been pulled down on the edge of the box and the second with a mazy run through the home defence.
But Juve, hammered 4-0 at Spain's Celta Vigo in the UEFA Cup on Thursday, almost lost the tie in the first half when they failed to produce a single shot on goal. Piacenza's Arturo Di Napoli missed a superb chance in the 15th minute from just six metres out and team mate Ruggiero Rizzitelli hit the crossbar with an effort late in the half.
Nevertheless, Carlo Ancelotti's side recovered to reap three points which take them to 56, six more than second-placed Lazio who were held to a 2-2 draw at the Olympic Stadium by Inter Milan on Saturday.
Inter remain third on 47 points after city rivals and Italian champions AC Milan squandered a golden opportunity to move above them in a thrilling clash at the San Siro.
Milan led 2-0 at halftime thanks to goals from an inspired Italy midfielder Demetrio Albertini and Serie A's leading marksman, Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine.
But Alberto Zaccheroni's side had Argentine defender Jose Antonio Chamot sent off in the 50th minute for a foul on Fabrizio Cammarata and conceded two quick goals. Veteran defender Luigi Apolloni scored Verona's first in the 52nd minute before Danish full back Martin Laursen added a second with a bullet of a header in the 55th.
Shevchenko then put Milan 3-2 in front from the penalty spot after his captain Paolo Maldini had been upended in the box but Cammarata struck in injury time to give relegation-threatened Verona a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Verona coach Claudio Prandelli was not on the bench to see Cammarata's heroics. He was dismissed midway throught the second half for protesting against a linesman's decision.
AS Roma, beaten 1-0 by Leeds United in the UEFA Cup in midweek, lost by the same scoreline at Cagliari and slipped to fifth on 45 points. Cameroon's Patrick Mboma scored the decisive header on the stroke of halftime.
Crisis-ridden Fiorentina, who travel to European champions Manchester United in midweek, went down 1-0 at Torino, for whom Marco Ferrante scored his 12th goal of the season for a side who have managed only 24 in total.
Perugia fought back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 home draw in their mid-table clash with Lecce while Udinese, another of Italy's midweek UEFA Cup victims, drew 0-0 at Reggina.
Parma, dumped out the UEFA Cup by Werder Bremen on Thursday night, were due to face mid-table Bari later.
