Lecce 0 - Juventus 0
Saturday 22nd September 2001
Serie A leaders Juventus dropped their first points of the season on Saturday as they were held to a goalless draw at the Stadio Via del Mare against Lecce who stand fifth and undefeated after four matches.
Juventus dominated for much of the match without creating any clear-cut chances and were made to pay for a tense final few minutes when Paolo Montero's unnecessary foul resulted in a scuffle that led to both the Uruguayan defender and Lecce's Alberto Savino being sent off.
Juventus coach Marcelo Lippi opted for Marcelo Salas and David Trezeguet up front, leaving Alex Del Piero on the bench while Alberto Cavasin played Rodolfo Giorgetti on the right side of midfield leaving out David Balleri.
The match started at a frantic pace, with Juve pressing forward and Lecce looking to strike on the break. On 6 minutes, Uruguayan Ernesto Chevanton pounced on errors by Lilian Thuram and Montero to collect Davor Vugrinec's pin-point pass but fired fractionally wide of the far post.
Five minutes later, Pavel Nedved crossed from the left side for Salas but Antonio Chimenti in the Lecce goal saved the Chilean's far-post header.
Lecce were soon back on the attack and had an appeal for a penalty turned down on 13 minutes by referee Massimo De Santis after the ball had struck Thuram on the arm in the area.
Shortly afterwards, Alessio Tacchinardi shot wide from 25 yards.
On 26 minutes Trezeguet blazed over the bar from eight yards after Salas had knocked on a free kick from the right and four minutes before the break Gianluca Zambrotta's shot from the was blocked by Chimenti.
Juve defender Igor Tudor limped off before the end of the half when he injured his right ankle and was replaced by Cristian Zenoni after the restart.
Juventus again seized the initiative in the second half but despite forcing Lecce to defend deep on the edge of their own area, failed to turn their possession into clear chances.
On 53 minutes Lorenzo Stovini came closest to breaking the deadlock with an own goal when he moved to intercept Nedved's excellent cross from the left and two minutes later Chimenti saved a header from Trezeguet.
Chimenti was again Lecce's saviour on 63 minutes when he jumped to save a header from Michele Paramatti off Nedved's corner from the right.
Davids then shot wide from 25 yards before Chimenti was again called into action to save a shot from Nedved.
In the final minute the match erupted when Montero fouled Chimenti off a cross from Davids. Alberto Savino moved swiftly to seek retribution and soon 18 players were involved in a scuffle that resulted in De Santis sending off Montero and Piangerelli.
Lecce: Chimenti, Stovini, Popescu, Savino, Giorgetti (Balleri 81), Conticchio, Piangerelli, Giacomazzi (Malusci 94), Tonetto, Chevanton, Vugrinec (Colonnello 78)
Juventus: Buffon, Tudor (Cristian Zenoni 46), Thuram, Montero, Paramatti (O'Neill 78), Zambrotta, Tacchinardi, Davids, Nedved, Salas (Del Piero 84), Trezeguet
Booked: Giorgetti, Piangerelli, Giacomazzi, Colonnello (Lecce); Nedeved, Trezeguet (Juventus)
Sent off Savino (Lecce); Montero (Juventus)
Referee: Massimo De Santis (Tivoli)
