Rome: Juventus's problems continued as they
were held to a 1-1 draw at lowly Livorno and also finished the
game with 10 men following Felipe Melo's red card.
Antonio Filippini gave Livorno a first half lead with a
header but Nicola Legrottaglie equalised just before the
break.
The draw yesterday means Juventus have now won only three
of their last 14 matches, losing nine of those, and have yet
to win under new coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who took over from
Ciro Ferrara 10 days ago.
They also dropped to sixth following Palermo's 2-1
victory at home to Parma and now sit three points off a
Champions League qualification place but having played a game
more than Napoli.
But Zaccheroni insisted his team is still in the hunt for
a top four finish.
"It will be decided on the last day of the season, not
before. There are several teams doing well at the moment and
many teams in the hunt, mine included, but also Fiorentina
(currently 11th) because they're a good team.
"We're coming off the back of a difficult period and we
have to rebound. It was a difficult game tonight because they
played well.
"They're well organised and they make it difficult for
you to play."
All the talk in the build up to the game was about
Zaccheroni switching to a back three, which he duly did,
inserting Legrottaglie between Fabio Cannavaro and Giorgio
Chiellini.
But whatever effect this was supposed to have on the
team, it didn't work.
Juve looked secure in the beginning but suffered from
their same old failing - that of being unable to fashion
chances.
And if anything the new system created confusion and
contributed to their falling behind on 26 minutes.
A cross from the right was missed by Livorno striker
Cristiano Lucarelli but Luigi Vitale immediately sent the ball
straight back in from the left and Filippini, the smallest
player on the pitch, rose on the edge of the six yard box to
head home despite the attentions of four defenders around him,
none of whom made a challenge.
Juve had to wait until after the half hour mark for their
first chance as Alessandro Del Piero curled a 20-yard
free-kick over the wall but it didn't have enough power to
beat goalkeeper Rubinho.
Livorno almost doubled their lead on 35 minutes as
Claudio Bellucci found a yard of space in the box but fired
just wide of Gianluigi Buffon's near post.
In the end it was route one that saw Juve draw level
three minutes before the break as a deep free-kick from Diego
found Legrottaglie at the back post to head in off the
upright.
The second half was dull with only a late shot from
substitute Davide Moro, which Buffon palmed away, to note in
terms of attacking action.
Melo was sent off eight minutes from time for a second
bookable offence.
Brazilian Simplicio scored the winning goal three minutes
from time as Palermo moved up to fifth.
The victory was no more than the Sicilian hosts deserved
after Parma's Jonathan Biabiany had cancelled out Edison
Cavani's opener.
After a goalless first half the game sprung to life when
Cavani turned home a Fabrizio Miccoli free-kick on 62 minutes.
Parma equalised in contentious circumstances 10 minutes
later when Biabiany's angled shot found the net but the hosts
believed the game should have been stopped for a foul on
Cavani in the build-up.
Even so, the Sicilians snatched the victory late on when
Miccoli teed up Simplicio to smash a rasping shot into the top
corner.
Palermo trail fourth-placed Napoli by one point while
Parma's European hopes are fading as they lie 13th.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 07, 2010, 10:20