Weah Powers Milan Past Juve
Reuters
ROME -- Two second-half goals from George Weah gave AC Milan a 2-0 win at champion Juventus on Sunday to ensure Alberto Zaccheroni's side remains within a point of league-leader Lazio, which beat Bologna 2-0.
Weah struck within 11 seconds of the restart and again after 64 minutes to give Milan its first league victory in Turin over rival Juventus since March 1994.
Milan feels it now has a 16th league title within its grasp.
Milan's two remaining fixtures are against relegated Empoli and faltering Perugia, while Lazio faces a tough trip to Fiorentina next weekend followed by a make-or-break home game against UEFA Cup finalist Parma on the last day of the season.
"We just have to close our eyes and forget about what's happening elsewhere in the championship now," said Zaccheroni, seeking to win the scudetto in his first season at Milan.
"Hopefully when we open them again in a fortnight's time we'll be champions."
Milan was on the back foot for most of the first half at a sun-kissed Delle Alpi stadium and could easily have fallen behind as striker Filippo Inzaghi and midfielder Alessio Tacchinardi each threatened to score.
But moments after the interval Weah raced on to a long ball out of defense and, after it had bounced once on the edge of the box, headed it over stranded goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi.
Weah's German striking partner Oliver Bierhoff shaved Peruzzi's right-hand post with a close-range effort after 58 minutes before Weah doubled Milan's lead in the 64th.
Croatian midfielder Zvonimir Boban lobbed a cultured right foot pass over the top of the home defense and Weah pulled the ball down with his chest before slotting a low right foot shot inside Peruzzi's right-hand upright.
Minutes earlier in Rome, a nervous Lazio had finally broken the deadlock against Bologna.
Argentine midfielder Matias Almeyda picked up a ball on the edge of the box and fired an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli from 25 meters -- Almeyda's first Serie A goal.
Bologna refused to lie down and came close to an equalizer in the 81st minute when Russian Igor Simutenkov stole through the Lazio defence and struck a shot against the post.
Big Italy striker Christian Vieri finally settled the game in injury time, linking up with veteran forward Roberto Mancini before slamming a left foot shot into the Bologna net.
The victories left Lazio and Milan way out in front in the championship race.
Lazio has 65 points to Milan's 64 while Parma and Fiorentina have 55 and 54, respectively.
Fiorentina squandered a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 at relegation-threatened Sampdoria, ending the match with nine men after midfielder Sandro Cois was sent off in the 33rd minute and defender Pasquale Padalino was dismissed in injury time.
Striker Vincenzo Montello scored twice for 1991 champion Sampdoria, which nevertheless remains anchored in 17th place in the 18-team league.
Fiorentina ceded third place to UEFA Cup finalist Parma, which won 3-1 at Inter Milan on Saturday.
