Juventus - Cesena: 2-1 The tragic loss of Alessio Ferramosca and Riccardo Neri will never be forgotten. One month on from that ill-fated December evening, the Bianconeri returned to the Olimpico for their rescheduled round 16 fixture with Cesena. The thoughts of all tonight were with the two boys and their families.
Juventus went into tonight's match hungrier than ever for three precious championship points. Deschamps had described defeat against Mantova three days earlier as a "slap in the face" and was not likely to settle for anything less than victory as his team looked to make up ground on the league leaders. The Frenchman made no changes to the back four, while Palladino and Camoranesi returned to the starting line-up on the flanks. The injured Buffon was replaced by his young deputy Mirante between the sticks, and with a formidable 333 Bianconeri goals between them, Del Piero and Trezeguet were given the nod in attack. The Bianconeri signalled their intent early on, monopolising possession and looking to get forward at every opportunity. In the 7th minute, Trezeguet flashed an effort narrowly over the bar on the turn but it wouldn't have counted, he was off-side. The home side's build-up play was patient but persistent and on 11 minutes, the ball found its way to Camoranesi ten yards outside the box; he tried to curl one into the top corner first time but he couldn't keep his effort down. Cesena gave the Bianconeri a reminder of their own attacking qualities seconds later, sweeping up a Juventus attack and breaking from deep with pace. The move ended with Papa Waigo rifling a right-footer a yard or two wide of Mirante's left post but it was enough to give the home side some food for thought. Five minutes later though, and Juventus were ahead. Cesena failed to deal with a deep angled ball into the box from Birindelli and Palladino was there on the byeline to send it back across goal. Turci palmed away the winger's cross, but only as far as Del Piero who duly smashed home the opener from close range (1-0). On 21 minutes Del Core tried a powerful drive from outside the box; Mirante could only parry and it took a timely intervention from Kovac to deny Papa Wiago on the rebound. Juventus continued to pose questions for the visitors' back line and in the 25th minute they doubled their lead in glorious style. Del Piero rolled the ball out wide to Balzaretti in a seemingly innocuous position but the fullback's first time cross was a masterpiece, perfectly weighted towards the near post with a touch of outswing. In trademark fashion, Trezeguet snuck in front of his marker and glanced his header into the far side of the net (2-0). Cesena might have pulled one back three minutes later but Doudou sent a free header over the bar from a well-placed Salvetti corner. Unable to shake off an injury, the Cesena captain's evening ended shortly after as he made way for Lazzari. The Bianconeri very nearly made it three on 37 minutes. Balzaretti was the architect of another devilish cross but this time he sent a deep ball towards the far side of the box; Camoranesi volleyed the ball back across goal and it was only a matter of inches that separated Del Piero's quick-fire effort from the inside of Turci's right post. Juventus continued to command possession and it was a frustrated, and captainless, Cesena that entered the tunnel at the break. Juventus began the second half in merciless fashion, Marchisio letting rip from thirty yards out moments after kick-off and forcing Turci into a fine diving save. On 49 minutes, Palladino found himself in acres of space out on the left wing. He hurtled into the box and, with players queuing up in the middle, tried his luck at the near post with a cheeky toe poke; Turci did well to get down low and concede a corner. The Bianconeri were brimming with confidence as they began to pick-off Cesena with a master class in incisive link-up play, the highlight of which was a forty-yard cross field pass with the outside of the boot by the effervescent Camoranesi, but the chances weren't going in. Firmly pinned back and close to conceding a third, Cesena were handed a lifeline in the 62nd minute. The Juventus defence failed to deal with a long pass from midfield and, under pressure from Birindelli and Kovac, Papa Waigo managed to nod the ball over the oncoming Mirante and pull one back for the visitors (2-1). Four minutes later and the game was turned on its head completely. As Juventus sought to reassert their dominance, Zebina saw red and was given his marching orders by the referee. Deschamps responded by making two tactical changes in quick succession, bringing on Piccolo and De Ceglie in place of Camoranesi, but Cesena were now firmly back in the match. Palladino continued to prove a useful outlet on the wing, full of running and attacking verve, but as the game entered its final ten minutes it was more a question of who could hold their nerve for longest. Spaces opened up all over the park as the clock wound down and the ten-man Bianconeri were forced to retreat as they looked to defend their lead. Cesena threw all they had at the home side in a scrappy finale but it wasn't enough. Juventus had shown the blend of technical flair and grit and determination that Deschamps had asked for. 2-1. GOALS: Del Piero 17', Trezeguet 25', Papa Waigo 62' BOOKED: Anastasi 7', Del Piero 74', Mezavilla 80', Marchisio 82', Lazzari 83' SENT-OFF: Zebina 66' JUVENTUS: Mirante; Birindelli, Kovac (De Ceglie 71'), Zebina, Balzaretti; Camoranesi (Piccolo 67'), Paro, Marchisio, Palladino; Del Piero, Trezeguet Subs: Belardi, Venitucci, Guzman, Bojinov, Zalayeta Coach: Deschamps CESENA: Turci; Biserni, Zaninelli, Doudou, Lauro; Anastasi (Mezavilla 63'), De Feudis (Virdis 80'), Salvetti (Lazzari 32'); Papa Waigo, Pellè, Del Core Subs: Sarti, Sabato, Ola, Bracaletti Coach: Castori REFEREE: Banti (Livorno) ASSISTANTS: Carretta, Rosi REGARDS -elang- [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
