UEFA CUP: Listless Juventus Slips into 3rd Round
Copyright � 1999 Nando Media
Copyright � 1999 Agence France-Presse
TURIN, Italy (November 4, 1999 7:07 p.m. EST http://www.sportserver.com) - Juventus eased into the UEFA Cup third round on Thursday night after a lackluster 1-1 draw with Levski Sofia in an empty Delle Alpi stadium here.
Juventus had done all the hard work in Bulgaria, winning 3-1, and was trailing for more than an hour here after Tchavdar Petrov's 14th-minute strike for Levski.
But Juventus striker Yugoslav Darko Kovacevic made the scoreline respectable by slotting home a 79th-minute equalizer, continuing his fine run of form on European duty for the Turin club.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who rested Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi for Sunday's derby with Torino, said: "We could have done better. Especially after we won the away leg 3-1 with only 10 men."
There wasn't much for the 2,600 Juventus fans to celebrate, especially after their team's dreadful start.
Alexandar Alexandrov crossed from the left-hand side of the area, and the in rushing Petrov steered a first-time shot past keeper Edwin Van der Sar.
Levski continued to look dangerous, while Juventus were largely toothless with Kovacevic and Uruguayan Daniel Fonseca operating up front and wingback Alessandro Birindelli sweeping forward on the right.
And there was a let-off for the hosts soon after the re-start when
Birindelli just cleared an inswinging corner but his header hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced out.
Juventus' attacking manouevre was so miserable that Ancelotti took advantage of an injury to Birindelli to replace the defender with star playmaker Zinedine Zidane in the 63rd minute.
The World Cup winner soon caused trouble for goalkeeper Dimitar Ivankov and was behind the move which led to Juventus' equaliser.
The Frenchman wriggled through a scrum of defenders before squaring the ball for Gianluca Zambrotta, who threaded it through for Kovacevic to hit a first-time shot that Ivankov parried but couldn't keep out.
