Juve And Lazio To Fight To The End For Italian Title
TURIN, Italy, May 27 (Reuters)(DS) - Juventus coach Carlo Ancelotti and his Lazio counterpart Dino Zoff have vowed to continue fighting until the end despite leaders Roma now being just one win away from the Italian title.
With two games remaining, Roma, who drew 1-1 at home to AC Milan are four points clear of second-placed Juventus, who won 1-0 at home to Perugia, and five clear of Lazio, who drew 1-1 with Inter Milan.
A victory for Roma in Naples in two weeks' time would secure their first title for 18 years whatever the results of Lazio's home game with Fiorentina and Juve's trip to Vicenza.
Juve coach Ancelotti, whose side beat Perugia thanks to a 55th-minute strike from David Trezeguet, acknowledged the destiny of the Serie A title was out of their hands but said they would do all they could in the remaining games.
"We simply have to win our two games and aim to finish as high as we can. If we win our matches and finish on 73 points and Roma are still above us then Roma will deserve the title - 73 points is a huge amount to beat," said the Juve coach.
Since Serie A switched to three points for a win in the 1994-95 season, only Juventus in 1998 have finished with more than 73 points. Juve failed to sparkle at the Delle Alpi stadium but Ancelotti said that at this stage in the campaign results were all that mattered.
"We weren't brilliant tonight, especially in the second half but it was a very important win for us. There is still a chance and as long as there is a chance then we will hope. "If it is not to be then we need to secure the second place -- we just have to focus on our job," said the Juve boss .
Second place is significant in that it secures an automatic spot in the first group stage of the Champions League while teams finishing third and fourth must play a two-legged qualifier.
Lazio now face that prospect after Stephane Dalmat's superb strike three minutes into injury time gave Inter Milan a point after Hernan Crespo had given Lazio a first-half lead.
The reigning Italian champions had plenty of chances to wrap up the game before Dalmat's dramatic equaliser but Zoff said it was just one of those nights and his side would not give up yet.
"It is very tough to swallow, but until we are mathematically eliminated from the race then we will keep fighting until the end," said Zoff. "It is a shame because we dominated the entire match and had so many chances to put the game away, but that is football, you have to accept these things," he added.
