Juventus Bounces Back Against Cagliari
Copyright � 1998 Nando.net
Copyright � 1998 Reuters
MILAN (Sep 20, 1998 - 18:37 EDT) - Italian champions Juventus bounced straight back from their midweek European Cup blues by beating Cagliari 1-0 on Sunday.
Juventus, who could only scrape a 2-2 draw at home to Galatasaray, were rifled into an eighth minute lead by Filippo "SuperPippo" Inzaghi after a defensive blunder.
But it was another disappointing day for star forward Alessandro Del Piero, who hasn't scored in open play since last April despite a dozen games between club and international duty.
Though Juventus are still getting into gear, coach Marcello Lippi said: ' The important thing is to get results when the team aren't on top form. And the will to win is there.'
The Serie A champions are one of only three clubs, along with Fiorentina and AC Milan, to have won both their league matches this season.
Fiorentina kept their 100 percent record by beating Vicenza 2-1 away.
Argentinian skipper Gabriel Batistuta nodded home Moreno Toricelli's cross in the very first minute as Vicenza scrambled to clear a corner.
The home side levelled when midfielder Marco Schenardi crossed and Fiorentina defender Pasquale Padalino fumbled the ball into his own net in the 68th minute.
But his team sealed all three points just three minutes later when Batistuta set up Belgian international Luis Oliveira for a rasping angled shot into the far corner of the net.
AC Milan were 2-1 winners away to Salernitana with all the goals coming late in the game.
German ace Oliver Bierhoff headed AC Milan into a 67th minute lead and Brazilian substitute Leonardo deflected home their second in the 86th.
Salernitana pulled one back two minutes later when skipper Roberto Breda cracked home a free-kick but it was all too late for the southerners.
AC Milan coach Zaccheroni said: "We were motivated and showed a lot of grit, although I do think we could have finished it earlier.
"We were more determined in the second half, although as I've said before, we still need that confidence which will come only with the results."
Marcio Amoroso was Udinese's hero in a 3-1 win at Bologna after a heart- stopping finish. The Brazilian striker headed them into a 14th minute lead and then converted a 44th minute penalty after being tripped by goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli.
Bologna had Amedeo Mangone sent off just before the break but Igor Kolyvanov pulled one back by converting a 63rd penalty -- only for his Russian teammate Igor Simutenkov to miss another spot-kick in the 83rd.
Two minutes later, Belgian midfielder Johan Walem hammered the final nail in Bologna's coffin by volleying in Udinese's third for the team's first win there since 1982.
Big-spending Lazio ground out their second draw, finishing 0-0 with Bari.
Lazio's owner Sergio Cragnotti put a brave face on the display, saying: ' We created a lot of chances and could have won 3-0 or 4-0. There are a lot of new faces in the team and a few problems are inevitable.'
And he warned: "Juventus -- we'll catch you."
City rivals AS Roma could do no better at Empoli after international midfielder Luigi Di Biagio missed an 85th minute penalty -- just as he did in Italy's shoot-out with France in the World Cup quarter-final.
Sampdoria finished 1-1 with Perugia after they too missed a match-winning penalty.
Frenchman Pierre Laigle opened the scoring for Sampdoria in the 21st minute after working a one-two with Argentinian playmaker Daniel Ortega.
Perugia, spurred on by Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata, levelled in the 49th minute through Renato Olive and then watched Sampdoria striker Vincenza Montella miss a 72nd minute spot-kick won by Ortega.
Parma clocked up their second consecutive 0-0 draw at Venezia.
Ronaldo's Inter Milan were meanwhile waiting for their night match here against Piacenza.
