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| | Spotlight: Masterful Materazzi |
Monday 23 April, 2007
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| Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 33 of the Serie A season |
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The winners…
Marco Materazzi (Inter)
The Nerazzurro’s brace gave Inter the decisive win at the Stadio Franchi against Siena, allowing the San Siro outfit to finally celebrate their first Scudetto won on the pitch since 1989, the 15th in their history. Matrix put Inter ahead after 18 minutes and then regained the lead by converting a penalty, bringing his personal tally to eight goals this season and crowning Inter as champions with five games to spare.
Ronaldo (Milan)
The Brazilian scored yet again in Saturday’s match with Cagliari, bagging a brace, which secured the seventh win in eight games for the Rossoneri. Ronaldo has scored seven goals in 12 matches, confirming that his January transfer from Real Madrid was a winning move, despite the many critics. Milan will surely miss him in the Champions League semi-final with Manchester United on Tuesday evening.
Adrian Mutu (Fiorentina)
The former Juventus striker scored a vital goal for the Viola, allowing the Gigliati to keep their hopes of securing a European spot alive after a surprising season. The Romanian leapt to head in Martin Jorgensen's cross with 20 minutes remaining, his 15th goal this season, meaning that Fiorentina have closed the gap on sixth-placed Palermo to just two points.
The losers…
Marco Pisano (Palermo)
The defender was shown a straight red card for his tackle on Daniele Dessena after 58 minutes, leaving his side with 10 men and making life easier for Parma, who took advantage of the extra man and earned a precious win away from home. The Isolani’s crisis continues, as Palermo are now just two points ahead of Fiorentina in seventh place.
Angelo Peruzzi (Lazio)
The Biancoceleste was called on to make just one save before Adrian Mutu’s fatal goal, but the world champion was uncertain on this occasion, abandoning his position between the posts and leaving space for the Romanian to head in his teammate’s cross. Lazio’s lead over fourth-placed Milan is now down to just one point.
Alexander Doni (Roma)
The Giallorossi goalkeeper was at fault for Riccardo Zampagna’s second Atalanta goal, which sealed the Bergamaschi’s win and the consequent Nerazzurri party for Inter’s 15th Scudetto. The Brazilian was caught in no man’s land, although the striker’s lob over the ‘keeper’s head was impressive.
The goals…
Andrea Gasbarroni (Parma)
The winger scored against his former club Palermo, contributing to the Ducali’s 4-3 win at the Stadio Barbera. Gasbarroni sent a smashing right-foot shot into the far top corner of the goal, after teammate Domenico Morfeo served him a lovely reverse pass.
Riccardo Zampagna (Atalanta)
The Atalantino scored an impressive goal, flicking up a cross from teammate Cristiano Doni and looping the ball over Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni into the back of the net. The striker’s stunning goal forced Roma to say goodbye to their already slim title ambitions, as the defeat mathematically crowned the Nerazzurri as Serie A champions.
Ronaldo (Milan)
The former Inter man scored his and Milan’s second goal of the game against Cagliari on Saturday, when Antonio Chimenti missed contact with Marcos Cafu’s cross and the Brazilian chested the ball in from six yards. The Rossoneri claimed a 3-1 win at the final whistle and moved closer to third spot, which is now just one point away.
The numbers…
Inter's records continue
Only two clubs before this season’s record-breaking Inter had managed to claim the Scudetto with five games to spare, those being Il Grande Torino in 1947-48 and Fiorentina in 1955-56. Roberto Mancini’s side can still set new records before the end of the campaign, as they could win the championship with 99 points, doing better than Juventus in 2005-06, when the Bianconeri earned a total of 91 points.
Rome's Black Sunday
Lazio and Roma will be eager to erase April 22’s results, as the Biancocelesti ended their 15 match undefeated run by losing against Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico while the Giallorossi bid farewell to their slim Scudetto hopes after the defeat in Bergamo. The capital city outfits had never both been defeated on the same day this season, as the last double KO dates back to December 11, 2005, when Lazio lost against Livorno 2-1 and Roma surrendered to Palermo at the Olimpico by the same scoreline.
Palermo go into freefall
The crisis bound Rosanero offered yet another disappointing performance at the Stadio Barbera, losing 4-3 against Parma. The Sicilian outfit’s last win dates back to the tragic February 2 derby with Catania and the Isolani have won just three points in the last seven matches at the Barbera.
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| Words: Lara Mezzanotte |
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Past Spotlights
A unique review of each round of the 2006-07 Serie A campaign. More |
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