Galatasaray Fight to Draw With 10-Man Juventus
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
TURIN, Italy (Sep 16, 1998 - 18:19 EDT) - Ten-man Juventus had to fight back for a 2-2 draw with Galatasaray on Wednesday in a nightmare start to their bid for a fourth consecutive European Cup final.
Juventus took a 16th minute lead through Filippo Inzaghi before having Italian international goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi sent off for handling the ball outside his area.
Galatasaray turned the match around with goals from Sukur Hakan and Davala Umit, but were made to share the points after defender Alessandro Birindelli nodded home a 67th minute equalizer.
The Turkish side enjoyed the lion's share of the possession but failed to make it count, while the Italian champions were grateful once again to Alessandro Del Piero, who laid on both their goals.
Juventus made a bright start and on an unlucky night for Daniel Fonseca the Uruguayan collected an early through ball and saw his rasping shot blocked by Brazil's World Cup goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel.
Minutes later he was picked out by Del Piero for an easy tap-in, only to have the goal disallowed for off-side.
Juventus finally got it right in the 16th minute. Del Piero chipped the ball over from the right and Inzaghi, with his back to goal, leapt into the air for a stunning bicycle kick which flashed into the corner of Taffarel's net.
However, the match swung back Galatasaray's way in the 31st minute when Hakan chased a high through-ball and Peruzzi rushed out to clear the danger -- using both hands to stop the ball despite being well outside his area.
Dismissed immediately by the referee, Fonseca had to make way for reserve goalkeeper Michelangelo Rampulla.
Rampulla was soon called into action, but there was little he could do in the 44th minute as the Turkish side bagged a deserved equaliser.
Kerimoglu Tugay's high ball went over the heads of static Juventus defenders Alessio Tacchinardi and Gianluca Pessotto, allowing Hakan time to trap the ball with his right foot and lash it past Rampulla with his left.
Umit cracked home Galatasaray's second from 22 yards in the 63rd minute, but the Turks' lead lasted only four minutes as the unmarked Birindelli rose to nod home a Del Piero free-kick.
