A Momo Sissoko solo effort and David Trezeguet's comeback strike gave Juventus a 2-0 victory in Palermo.
The Bianconeri needed a victory to stay in the Scudetto race and avoid falling 11 points behind leaders Inter, but also looked ahead to the Champions League trip to Chelsea. David Trezeguet and Vincenzo Iaquinta got rare starts, leaving former Palermo hero Amauri on the bench. Cristiano Zanetti, Paolo De Ceglie, Hasan Salihamidzic, Jonathan Zebina and Dario Knezevic were sidelined, while the Rosanero missed Igor Budan, Levan Mchedlidze, Moris Carrozzieri and Hernandez.
Palermo had won their last two meetings with Juventus, 3-2 here last season and 2-1 in Turin earlier this term. The Sicilians got off to a blistering start, as Gianluigi Buffon parried Fabrizio Miccoli's effort at the back post from point-blank range and Edison Cavani did not make the most of the follow-up.
Moments later Miccoli cracked a blockbuster against the crossbar with his trusty right foot and Buffon managed to capture Fabio Simplicio's attempt from close range.
Juve came out of this siege after six minutes when Trezeguet pounced on a loose ball and forced Marco Amelia into a save with his outstretched foot. Simon Kjaer needed a sliding tackle to close down Iaquinta, then Amelia got down to beat away Pavel Nedved's snapshot from 25 metres.
Juventus took the lead with a classic counter-attack. Sissoko skipped past Fabio Liverani and Cesare Bovo, burst into the box and unleashed a rocket under the bar that nearly broke the roof of the net!
Buffon rushed off his line to narrow the angle as Cavani pulled the trigger and at the other end Iaquinta's header brought a tough reaction save out of Amelia, but he was just offside.
Sissoko sparked another counter to set up Nedved, who this time stung Amelia's palms. The goalkeeper parried Iaquinta's strike after going past Kjaer, but Palermo went so close to an equaliser 30 seconds later. Cavani drilled inches past the post from the edge of the box with only Buffon to beat.
After the restart Miccoli wanted a penalty, but Nicola Legrottaglie could not get his arm out of the way of the cross from a yard. Ex-Juve man Antonio Nocerino's shot was charged down, but on 63 minutes Buffon flew to flap a deflected Nocerino cross-shot out from under the bar.
It was all Palermo as Juventus seemed exhausted and Zdenek Grygera stuck out a foot to charge down Federico Balzaretti's snapshot. Buffon only palmed a Miccoli angled drive away and his defence scrambled clear before someone could tap in the loose ball.
Iaquinta went on the counter, but the pass for Trezeguet was poor and the chance went begging. Another Iaquinta counter was beaten away. Camoranesi looked particularly tired and went off for Marco Marchionni, while Amauri made his comeback at the Barbera.
Mark Bresciano dispossessed Marchionni in the D, but Nocerino couldn't make the most of it.
Amauri could have scored the classic 'ex' goal, but Amelia parried his volley from Nedved's low cross and Trezeguet's follow-up was charged down for a corner.
Balzaretti just failed to get the contact he needed to Mattia Cassani's cross and 30 seconds later Juventus doubled their lead. Amauri shrugged off a defender with great strength and got to the byline, cutting back for the totally unmarked Trezeguet to side-foot home from 10 yards with the aid of a deflection off Kjaer. Amelia probably would've saved it had it not been for that touch, but it was Trezeguet's first goal since his five-month lay-off for knee surgery. |
