Lazio Thrashes Juventus, 4-1
MILAN (March 18, 2001 7:50 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Defending champions Lazio thrashed second-placed Juventus 4-1 at Rome's Olympic Sunday to rekindle their fading hopes of successfully defending their Italian first division title.
Two goals apiece from Pavel Nedved and Hernan Crespo ensured Dino Zoff's side overcame the Turin giants, who finished with nine men after the Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids and French substitute David Trezeguet were sent off.
Alessandro Del Piero scored for Juve.
With Serie A leaders AS Roma held to a 0-0 draw by struggling Reggina the result means third-placed Lazio are now nine points behind their city rivals who despite their indifferent display now extend their lead over Juve to seven points with eleven rounds of games left.
Lazio took the lead midway through the first half.
Karel Poborsky supplied the cross and fellow Czech Nedved scored at the far post against the team that has made him their top transfer target.
Argentinian forward Crespo doubled their lead in the opening seconds of the second period with his 15th goal of the season and it looked like curtains for the Turin side when Davids, who had already been booked, was sent off after 58 minutes.
The sending off capped a miserable night for Davids, who had been racially abused by sections of Lazio's notorious supporters.
Juve hauled themselves back into the game through Del Piero but Nedved's second of the night all but killed the match before Crespo rubbed salt into the wounds. Trezeguet got his marching orders in the last minute.
In Reggio Calabria struggling Reggina made most of the running against Fabio Capello's Serie A leaders with Davide Dionigi missing three clear chances for the minnows.
Substitute Mozart missed a glorious chance to win it for the hosts three minutes from time and it finished goalless.
AC Milan gave their new coaching team of Cesare Maldini and Mauro Tassotti a perfect start, thrashing Serie A's bottom side Bari 4-O at the San Siro.
A goal from Francesco Coco, two from Andriy Shevchenko and one from Serginho lifted the new coaching tandem.
Maldini said: "It was a great performance. I want to thank the players who have immediately got down to work after what has been a difficult week."
Udinese coach Luigi De Canio faces the sack after his side lost 3-1 at home to Parma.
In-form Marco Di Vaio gave Parma an early advantage in a match where Udinese's chief financial backer Giampaolo Pozzo said failure to win would cost De Canio his job.
Udinese's Stefano Fiore equalised from a penalty in the second period and the team celebrated by rushing to the touchline to mob their coach but Brazilian Marcio Amoroso quickly put Parma back in front, also from the spot and later added a second to make it 3-1.
De Canio was still unaware of his fate after the match and said: "I know Pozzo has nothing against me personally. He will decide what is in the best interests of the club and make the logical choice."
Inter Milan's recent improvement continued with a 2-1 win at Lecce.
Uruguayan striker Alvaro Recoba put them in front, rounding goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti before scoring but two minutes into the second period Luigi Piangerelli restored parity with a brilliant strike. Recoba's second - from a freekick - settled it.
Napoli's home match with Perugia finished 0-0 with the late sending-off of Napoli's Czech substitute Marek Jankulovski the only incident of note.
Visitors Bologna took charge of their match with Fiorentina when striker Giacomo Cipriani gave them an early lead but in the second period Yugoslav substitute Predrag Mijatovic ensured it finished 1-1.
Verona top scorer Emiliano Bonazzoli gave his side a 1-0 home win over Vicenza.
On Monday another grudge match - the Lombardy derby - will see Brescia and Atalanta clash at the home of third division outfit Reggiana at Reggio Emilia because of recent crowd misbehaviour by Brescia fans.
