Juventus and Ajax Power On As Parma Struggle
LONDON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Holders Parma struggled in their
opening UEFA Cup match on Thursday while former European
champions Juventus and Ajax swept lowly rivals aside in
convincing fashion.
Parma, reluctantly back in the second-tier competition after
being eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers by
Scotland's Rangers, beat Ukrainians Kryvbas Kryvih Rih 3-2 in
Italy in their first round first leg.
The two vital away goals for the well-organised and
effective Ukrainians mean that a poor-looking Parma, without a
win in Serie A this season, now have a tough fight on their
hands to progress in the away leg.
Parma were lucky not to be seriously embarrassed on a rainy
night in the Tardini stadium after the Ukrainians pushed for an
equaliser and twice forced goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to make
diving saves in the final stages.
Kryvbas striker Olexandr Palyantsa stunned Parma with a
well-taken goal after just five minutes but two goals from Marco
Di Vaio, a summer signing from Salernitana, put Parma back in
control by the 20th minute.
A Dino Baggio header made it 3-1 in the 67th minute but
substitute Roman Monaryov pulled one back in the 74th after just
two minutes on the field.
Juventus, Europe's top side in 1996 who were forced to
qualify through the Intertoto Cup this season under former Parma
coach Carlo Ancelotti, thrashed Omonia Nicosia 5-2 in Cyprus
with four goals coming in the opening 24 minutes.
Italian international striker Alessandro Del Piero, easing
back into the limelight after 10 months on the sidelines, came
on as a second-half substitute and scored the fifth eight
minutes from time.
Ajax, the side that beat Juventus for the 1995 European Cup,
rolled past Slovakia's Dukla Banska Bystrica 6-1 -- with the
Slovak side only scoring through an own goal.
The Dutch side went behind to the Slovaks after the 14th
minute Frank Verlaat own goal but the same player made amends by
equalising with a 25th minute penalty.
Martijn Reuser made it 2-1 a minute later and then the
floodgates opened in the second half.
Celtic, the 1967 European champions, also started off with a
2-0 win at home to Israel's Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Belgian side Anderlecht returned victoriously but
unconvincingly to European competition after a one-year ban
imposed for irregularities surrounding their appearance in the
1984 final.
The Belgians beat nine-man Olimpija Ljubljana 3-1 but failed
to cash in their numerical advantage for much of the second half
in Brussels.
Former England manager Bobby Robson also returned to
European competition with his new club Newcastle United and
watched them beat CSKA Sofia 2-0 thanks to goals from Peruvian
Nolberto Solano and Georgian Temuri Ketsbaia.
It was Newcastle's first win in 15 matches.
"We finally won a match," beamed Robson.
