Roma Held 0-0 By Spirited Juventus
ROME, Dec 22 (Reuters)(DS) - AS Roma survived a tough test of their Italian
title credentials, emerging with a 0-0 home draw from their top-of-the-table
clash with Juventus on Friday.
In the day's other match Yugoslav defender Sinisa Mihajlovic scored direct
from a corner kick and Fabrizio Ravanelli added a second as champions Lazio
won 2-1 on a rain-soaked pitch at struggling Bari.
Roma remain six points clear at the top with 29 points to Juve's 23 and
Atalanta Bergamo's 22. Lazio move up to fourth on 21 points.
The remainder of the weekend's Serie A matches will be played on Saturday.
Juventus had the better of a disjointed match at the Olympic Stadium,
particularly in the first half. Midfielder Antonio Conte sparked their
assault on the Roma goal with a header in the fourth minute which goalkeeper
Cristiano Lupatelli did well to parry away from his right-hand post.
Lupatelli was forced into action again in the 17th minute to save a shot on
the turn from the edge of the box from French striker David Trezeguet.
ZIDANE IN FORM
Zidane called the shots in midfield, showing why he was named FIFA's world
player of the year earlier this month, and Juve's experienced defence easily
dealt with the threat of Roma strikers Gabriel Batistuta and Marco
Delvecchio.
Edwin Van der Sar comfortably stopped a low shot from Batistuta in the 24th
and Juventus again made inroads into the Roma half for the next 15 minutes.
Only in the 41st minute did Roma threaten the visitors' goal, Delvecchio
meeting a Francesco Totti cross with a header which drifted past the post.
Roma responded in the second half and Batistuta had the ball in the back of
the Juve net 10 minutes from time but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Totti had a golden opportunity to score a winner three minutes later when he
broke free clear on goal but Van der Sar again saved well with his feet.
Juve then almost stole a victory when centre back Ciro Ferrara headed
against the base of Lupatelli's left-hand post. Carlo Ancelotti's side had
Edgar Davids sent off in injury time for a second bookable offence before
sealing their valuable away point which brought Roma's 100 percent home
record to an end.
Mihajlovic gave Lazio a halftime lead with one of his trademark inswinging
left-foot corners and Ravanelli made the three points safe with a header
which went in off the underside of the crossbar in the 63rd minute. Daniel
Andersson Bari scored a consolation goal for Bari from the penalty spot
seven minutes from time.
