Juventus 3 - Chievo 2
Saturday 15th September 2001
Chievo gave Juventus a mighty fright by taking a two-goal lead at the Stadio Delle Alpi on Saturday night, but the Turin giants fought back to claim their third successive Serie A win.
Chievo went into the match level on points with Juve at the top after surprise wins over Fiorentina and Bologna. And it was the underdogs who were first to strike following a terrible mistake by Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
The �31 million-signing from Parma completely missed a corner on nine minutes and Massimo Marazzina was there to score.
Pavel Nedved spurned a glorious chance for Juve and Alex Del Piero hit the bar, before the visitors added their second on 19 minutes when Marazzina took advantage of a clever back-heel to crash home from ten yards.
Juve got back in the game almost immediately as Del Piero's corner was touched on by Igor Tudor for Alessio Tacchinardi to pile-drive home a right-foot shot.
David Trezeguet then had a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside, as well as a shot cleared off the line after being set up by Del Piero.
The pressure finally told three minutes before half-time when former Roma goalkeeper Cristiano Lupatelli flapped at a free-kick and Tudor headed home.
Juve coach Marcello Lippi brought on Marcelo Salas for Trezeguet in the second half and it was the Chile striker who proved the difference.
Nedved had just missed another great chance before Salas was put though by Tacchinardi with seven minutes remaining - in what looked an offside position.
The South American's shot hit the bar, but the referee pointed for a debatable penalty after seeing the ball hit defender Fabio Moro's arm. Salas converted from the spot to take the points.
Juventus: Buffon, Zenoni (O'Neill 46), Thuram, Iuliano, Pessotto, Zambrotta, Tudor, Tacchinardi, Nedved, Trezeguet (Salas 60), Del Piero (Amoruso 76)
Chievo: Lupatelli; Moro, D'Angelo, D'Anna, Lanna, Eriberto (Lorenzi 66), Perrotta, Corini, Manfredini (Zanchetta 50) Marazzina (Cossato 63), Corradi
Booked: Tudor, Tacchinardi, Salas (Juventus); Perrotta, Corradi, Cossato, Lupatelli, Marazzina, D'Angelo (Chievo)
