Del Piero fires Juve rout
ByReuters
Published 31/08/2003 at 18:10 GMT
Italian champions Juventus led a sweep of season-opening victories for the top Serie A clubs as they crushed Empoli 5-1 on Sunday. Juve strikers Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Marco Di Vaio scored in Turin but it was a different story at the Sa
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
Both Rome-based clubs won, Lazio, inspired by former AC Milan midfielder Demetrio Albertini, outclassing promoted Lecce 4-1 and AS Roma beating Udinese 2-1.
Juventus were far too strong for their Tuscan opponents, who narrowly escaped relegation last season.
The champions started with all three recent signings - defender Nicola Legrottaglie, midfielder Stephen Appiah and striker Fabrizio Miccoli - in an offensive line-up spearheaded by Del Piero and Trezeguet.
Empoli managed to close down Juve in the early stages, but fell behind after 16 minutes when Gianluca Zambrotta looped a perfect cross for Del Piero to beat goalkeeper Luca Bucci.
The visitors wasted a chance to equalise three minutes before the interval when striker Tommaso Rocchi scuffed his shot but Del Piero doubled the home side's lead in the 51st minute with a curling free kick.
Ten minutes later Trezeguet scored the first of his two goals, turning a Pavel Nedved corner into the net as Empoli's defence fell to pieces.
Del Piero's replacement, Marco Di Vaio, completed the rout from the penalty spot in the 85th minute before Empoli striker Antonio Di Natale snatched a consolation two minutes from time.
At the San Siro, Inter struggled to get the better of a well-organised Modena side.
In the 14th minute a counter-attack inspired by Inter midfielder Cristian Zanetti left Obafemi Martins with only the keeper to beat, but the 18-year-old Nigerian striker clipped the ball wide.
Inter missed the target repeatedly in the second half as winger Andy van der Meyde and Italy striker Christian Vieri wasted one-on-one situations against Modena keeper Marco Ballotta.
SEALED VICTORY
Vieri finally broke the deadlock in the 85th minute, controlling a cross by defender Thomas Helveg before beating Ballotta from close range, and defender Marco Materazzi sealed victory with a dipping free kick four minutes later.
Albertini put Lazio ahead after 20 minutes and Italy striker Bernardo Corradi soon doubled the lead, poking in the rebound after Dejan Stankovic's shot was parried by keeper Marco Amelia.
Midfielder Stefano Fiore rifled in the home side's third goal, effectively settling the match before halftime.
AS Roma had a tougher time against a solid Udinese side.
Home defender Per Kroldrup cancelled out Marco Delvecchio's early goal to make it 1-1 at halftime.
The balance of the match shifted four minutes into the second half, however, when defender Valerio Bertotto was sent off for fouling Roma striker Antonio Cassano.
Cassano created the winner in the 69th minute, beating defender Nestor Sensini before producing a pinpoint pass for Vincenzo Montella to backheel the ball into the net.
Elsewhere, Parma twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Bologna.
Midfielders Andres Guglieminpietro and Tomas Locatelli scored in each half for the home side, but Parma's Brazilian forward Adriano equalised twice with a powerful left-footed drive and a header three minutes from time.
Siena - playing their first ever Serie A match - also came from behind to draw 2-2 at Perugia.
Brescia keeper Luca Castellazzi fumbled a long-range effort by Salvatore Lanna to put his team behind against Chievo Verona, but midfielder Antonio Filippini's 58th-minute equaliser earned them a 1-1 draw.
European champions AC Milan begin their campaign against Ancona on Monday.
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