Juventus Opens 5-Point Lead With Win Over Inter Milan
Copyright � 2000 Nando Media
Copyright � 2000 Agence France-Presse
MILAN, April 16 (April 16, 2000 9:23 p.m. EDT http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus fans were getting the champagne ready Sunday night after their team lined up their 26th league title by beating Inter Milan 2-1 to open up a five-point lead in the Serie A.
Yugoslav striker Darko Kovacevic was the hero of the day, scoring both Juventus' goals as they sped clear of luckless Lazio, held to a 3-3 draw on Saturday by Fiorentina after an injury-time equalizer by Gabriel Batistuta.
With just four matches to go - against Fiorentina, Verona, Parma and Perugia - Juventus established itself as the runaway favorite for the coveted "Scudetto" - their first since 1998 under then boss Marcello Lippi.
Lippi was on the losing side on Sunday night, but the Inter coach still thought that the Zebras would canter to the title.
Juventus coach Carlo Ancelotti said: "I'm very satisfied with the result and everything else - the way we played the game. We showed great determination.
"The only disappointment tonight," he grinned, "is that the championship isn't over. This is a fundamental step forward. But the season isn't over.
"Everybody thought we'd won it a few weeks ago," he said, harking back to a nine-point lead which was then slashed to three. "We don't want to let this slip now - we want to play the last four matches like we did tonight."
As for the problem of keeping Kovacevic, a reserve, out of his future starting line-ups, he said: "That will be a problem. But not tonight."
Kovacevic, whose late goal against Bologna the previous week ended a run of two defeats, said: "I've been lucky enough to score these three goals, but it's the whole team who have played two great games for me."
Lippi paid tribute to his beaten men, saying: "Inter played well, they showed determination and in the first half kept Juventus under pressure. Juventus usually dictates this kind of match, but we limited them to playing on the break.
"The team did all they could in the first half and in the second. I told them afterward they had nothing to reproach themselves for."
As for his old club, he said: "It's very difficult to see Juventus dropping five points in four matches."
Lazio coach Sven Goran Eriksson urged his side not to run up the white flag, saying: "Juve had a great game and deserved to win. But I'm calling on my men not to give up the fight for the championship. "We just have to win all our remaining matches and see what happens."
Parma meanwhile headed towards a place in the Champions League preliminary rounds with a 3-1 win over Venezia, while AC Milan's hopes were dented by a 2-2 draw to struggling Torino.
Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo became Parma's top scorer in the club's history and the joint highest in the Serie A this season by scoring twice in a victory which left them third in the table with 53 points.
Crespo took his tally to 21 this season in the league - matching AC Milan's Ukrainian ace Andriy Shevchenko - and to 79 in all competitions, beating the club's 78-goal record of William Bronzoni from 1948-53.
Parma coach Alberto Malesani was delighted with Crespo's achievement, saying: "I'm proud of him, because in the past two years he's improved not just as a player but as a real team leader.
"And I like to think that I've helped him in that."
As for the road to Europe next season, he said: "It's an important step forward."
AC Milan slipped to fourth place on 51 points after their draw in Turin.
Massimo Ambrosini gave the champions a 15th minute lead but Pinga, an 18-year-old Brazilian scored twice before Argentinian winger Andres Guglielminpietro levelled for Milan in the 77th minute.
Milan, with Parma, Inter and AS Roma, are after one of two slots in the Champions League preliminaries.
Milan coach Alberto Zaccheroni was not so optimistic about his side's chances, saying: "It's complicated because there are a lot of strong teams in the this race.
"We have to do our best, but it's been a long time since we've won a match and we're still getting a lot of things wrong, both in defense and attack.
"We need to be more convinced about our abilities."
AS Roma clocked up their first victory for more than a month, beating Bologna 2-0 at the Olympic stadium after two penalties converted by Vincenzo Montella and captain Francesco Totti.
Roma coach Fabio Capello said: "We've got some important players back and you can see the difference. Bologna are a good side and they're very fit."
A policeman lay in a coma Sunday night after being hit by an ashtray thrown from a train carrying Lecce supporters home from the southern derby at Bari.
Rival fans lobbed missiles at each other before the game, with six Lecce fans needing hospital treatment after the match - some suffering burns from flares.
On the pitch, Bari won 3-1, while Reggina beat Cagliari 1-0 to condemn the Sardinian club to relegation.
The match was marred by scuffles afterward between rivals fans, while a policeman was hit by a flare.
Cagliari will be joined in the Serie B next season by Piacenza, who lost 2-0 at Perugia.
