Juventus 1 - Lazio 1
Saturday 30th March 2002
Juventus' hopes of clinching the Scudetto suffered a serious blow on Saturday evening as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Lazio at the Delle Alpi to leave them six points behind leaders Internazionale.
The game began at a frantic pace and Angelo Peruzzi was in action as early as the second minute, tipping a David Trezeguet volley around the post.
With Alessandro del Piero in delightful form, Juve continued to have the better of the game, and they almost took the lead six minutes later, Antonio Conte firing Del Piero's cross just over.
But Lazio gradually began to force their way into the game, and Buffon had already made fine saves from Jaap Stam, Dejan Stankovic and Claudio Lopez before the Argentinian forward gave the Biancocelesti the lead on 25 minutes, heading home Lucas Castroman's cross.
Trezeguet smacked the crossbar from Del Piero's free-kick, and Buffon made an extraordinary double-save from Lopez and Stefano Fiore before the home side levelled matters on 38 minutes.
Cristian Zenoni raced down the right, and Trezeguet was on hand to touch the ball past Peruzzi from five yards.
Lazio sat back in the second half, content to weather the Juve storm, and, with Del Piero failing to reproduce the form he had shown in the first half, Alberto Zaccheroni's side held on without too much difficulty.
Gianluca Zambrotta went close after a fine solo run early on, but, with Lazio curbing their attacking ambitions a game that had begun splendidly ended in frustration for Juve.
Juventus: Buffon, Zenoni (Montero 58), Ferrara, Juliano, Pessotto, Zambrotta, Conte, Maresca (Amoruso 42), Davids, Trezeguet (Zalayeta 70), Del Piero.
Lazio: Peruzzi (Marchegiani 46), Stam, Nesta, Couto, Favalli, Castroman (Poborsky 63), Giannichedda, Liverani (Mendieta 84), Stankovic, Fiore, Lopez
Booked: Juliano, Del Piero (Juventus); Castroman, Giannichedda, Marchegiani, Poborsky(Lazio)
Referee: Cosimo Bolognino (Milan)
