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| March 4, 2003 | Tuesday | Zul Hijjah 30, 1423 |
Nedved propels Juve to victory
TURIN (Italy), March 3: Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved inspired Juventus to an impressive 3-0 win over title rivals Inter Milan on Sunday, sending the Italian champions three points clear at the top of Serie A.
Nedved set up two goals and struck another himself as Juventus delivered a performance that makes them favourites to retain their title and the Czech showed exactly why he is rated as one of the best midfielders in the world.
Their fourth-minute opener owed much to good fortune as Inter’s Argentine midfielder Andres Guglielminpietro put through his own goal after Inter goalkeeper Francesco Toldo had parried out Nedved’s wicked free kick.
Uruguayan Alvaro Recoba almost brought his side level in the 29th minute with a tricky run down the left followed by a sweetly struck drive which flew just past Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon’s left hand post.
But four minutes later Nedved stunned Inter with a thundering drive from 25 metres out after he had been allowed space to turn and take aim, sending a shot fizzing just inside the post.
After the break Lippi’s side appeared content to contain Inter but although Hector Cuper’s side were able to gain the upper hand in midfield their front two — Christian Vieri and Gabriel Batistuta — were starved of quality service.
Then Juventus found their second wind.
Twice Di Vaio flew down the left wing, leaving the normally solid Javier Zanetti in his tracks, but both times his low ball across the face of the goal went untouched.
Seven minutes from the end of normal time Nedved crowned his performance with another assist — bursting down the left flank before finding Camoranesi who blasted home from inside the area.
Results:
Spanish league:
Atletico Madrid 2 Malaga 1
Celta Vigo 1 Valencia 1
Osasuna 2 Barcelona 2
Racing Santander 1 Deportivo Coruna 2
Real Betis 0 Sevilla 1
Valladolid 3 Real Sociedad 0
Villarreal 2 Rayo Vallecano 1
Played Saturday:
Alaves 1 Real Madrid 5
Athletic Bilbao 2 Recreativo Huelva 3
Espanyol 2 Real Mallorca 0
Italian league:
Chievo Verona 3 Torino 2
Juventus 3 Inter Milan 0
AC Milan 3 Atalanta 3
Perugia 2 Lazio 2
Piacenza 0 Como 1
Reggina 3 Udinese 2
AS Roma 3 Empoli 1
Played on Saturday:
Brescia 0 Bologna 0
Parma 1 Modena 1
—Reuters
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