CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Juve's Deschamps Has Winning Feeling
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Reuters News Service
ATHENS (March 17, 1999 7:38 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - France's World Cup-winning captain Didier Deschamps believes his Juventus side can end a miserable season on a winning note after living to fight another day in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Antonio Conte's 85th-minute equalizer snatched a 1-1 draw for the outgoing Italian league champions against Greek side Olympiakos and underlined Juve's talent for escape in the tournament as it chases a fourth consecutive final appearance.
And Deschamps believes the omens are good as the Bianconeri hone in upon a place in the Barcelona showpiece match in May.
Although a successful defence of the Serie A title is now out of the question, Deschamps believes the club's season could yet end on a celebratory note.
Deschamps said: "We are unbeaten since Feb. 7 and that's good. We are unbeaten in the league and now we are in the Champions' League last four. In the home leg, we missed the chance to finish it off, but we deserved it tonight."
Deschamps claimed Juve have been transformed since Carlo Ancelotti succeeded Marcello Lippi as coach some two months ago.
Lippi's hitherto glorious reign had been tarnished by poor form this year as Juve's slump coincided with the injury that has ruled their golden boy Alessandro Del Piero out for most of the season.
The club known as the "vecchia signora" or old lady of Italian football has also had to put up with a whiff of scandal.
Roma coach Zdenek Zeman put the Turin club in the spotlight earlier this season when his remarks, though aimed at football drug abuse in general, made particular reference to Juve players past and present.
No wrongdoing has been proved, but many leading observers in Italy cast aspersions on their Serie A title win last season with a lot of dubious refereeing decisions seeming to favour Juve.
Inter Milan's Brazilian striker Ronaldo was particularly outspoken.
Conte's late intervention was cruel on Olympiakos, who had levelled the aggregate scores early on before controlling large parts of the game.
Conte pounced to steer the ball home after Olympiakos goalkeeper Dmitris Eleftheropoulos fumbled the ball under pressure from Juve striker Filippo Inzaghi.
It ensured that Juventus finally made the last four after an ordeal that began for the Turin-based outfit in stoppage time in the first leg in Italy.
Andreas Niniadis notched a penalty in the seventh minute of injury time at the Stadio Delle Alpi to give Olympiakos a precious away goal and a huge psychological boost before the second leg.
Juventus had been sitting pretty at 2-0 before Niniadis totally changed the nature of the match.
It only took Olympiakos 12 minutes of the second encounter to level the aggregate scores.
Yugoslavian international Predrag Djordjevic found acres of space on the left flank and curled in a left-wing cross which found Yugoslav-born Cypriot international Sinisa Gogic.
Gogic planted a firm header past Juve keeper Michelangelo Rampulla.
Juventus looked limited as an attacking force and their only effort of the first half came from Filippo Inzaghi with a speculative shot.
After the break, the Italian champions enjoyed long spells of possession but lacked penetration against an Olympiakos side that defended in numbers, clearly determined to hang onto their away goal avantage.
In fact, Juve looked to have resigned themselves to their fate when Conte contrived another escape act for a team that barely made it through the group stages.
