Category: <b>Match Reports</b><br><br>Over seventeen thousand fans packed into the Dino Manuzzi stadium tonight to watch the Bianconeri take on home side Cesena in the second round of the Coppa Italia 2006/2007. Among the spectators for this evening’s vital clash were Juventus CEO, Jean-Claude Blanc, and director of football, Alessio Secco. A win for the Bianconeri would set up an important third round tie with either Napoli or Ascoli, and coach Didier Deschamps was taking no chances, recalling Trezeguet, Camoranesi and Del Piero to the squad, along with Croatian defender, Robert Kovac, back in the team after a short injury lay-off.
Juventus started brightly, a fearsome Nedved free-kick in the sixth minute causing the Cesena goalkeeper all sorts of problems. Zanetti followed suit, trying his luck from the edge of the box on two occasions, but Turci’s goal remained in tact. Cesena were not here to make up the numbers, with Papa Waigo a real threat out on the right, and it was the home side who made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute; Pagliuca swung in a dangerous free-kick from the left which was diverted into the Juve goal by an unlucky Federico Balzaretti (1-0). Juventus were straight back in the opposition half, pressing for an equaliser but the Cesena back line held firm, diverting a series of Nedved free-kicks from the danger zone. It was the Czech maestro who released Trezeguet in the box in the 35th minute, the Frenchman’s effort fizzed just wide but the linesman had signalled for offside. Finally, on the stroke of half-time, the Bianconeri found their equaliser. Balzaretti floated an angled ball into the area which the Cesena defence failed to deal with, Valeri Bojinov snuck in, turning his man and firing the ball into the far side of the net to level the scores (1-1). The teams entered the tunnel all square at half-time.
Trezeguet registered the first effort on goal of the second half, heading a Zanetti cross from the right just wide of Turci’s left post five minutes in as the Bianconeri picked up where they left off at the break. Papa Waigo was once again the home side’s danger man, sending in a string of dangerous crosses from out on the right but the new look Juve defence, Birindelli having replaced Legrottaglie in the 51st minute, held firm. Trezeguet again forced a great save from the Cesena number one in the 57th minute, latching onto a Balzaretti cross and diverting the ball towards goal. In the 64th minute, the Frenchman came close once more, firing in low and wide, this time from a Bojinov cross from the left. In the 74th minute Del Piero replaced Marchionni and fifteen seconds later, he fired Juve into the lead; Nedved swung in a dangerous cross, Trezeguet supplied the header and Del Piero picked up the rebound, forcing another save from Turci with a deft header; with the goal open the number 10 fired the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 to the Bianconeri. Juve were now content to soak up the pressure and hit Cesena on the break and in the 89th minute, Camoranesi replaced Bojinov to help see out the remainder of the game. A minute later, Cesena produced a final flourish, Piccoli forcing a wonder save from Buffon with a close range header and then trying his luck with a half-volley from the edge of the box. But it was Juventus’ day, passing into the third round of the TIM Cup thanks to captain fantastic, Alex Del Piero.
CESENA – JUVENTUS: 1-2
GOALS: Balzaretti OG 23’, Bojinov 45’, Del Piero 74’
BOOKED: Pestrin 28’, Balzaretti 29’, Giannichedda 66’, Zanetti 69’, Del Piero 80’
CESENA
Turci; Biserni, Ficagna, Vignati, Lauro; Pagliuca (Virdis 79’), Pestrin, Salvetti; Papa Waigo (Bracaletti 75’), Pellè, Lazzari (Piccoli 66’)
Subs: Sarti, Jidayi, Sacilotto, Bova
Coach: Castori
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Balzaretti, Kovac, Legrottaglie (Birindelli 51’), Chiellini; Marchionni (Del Piero 74’), Zanetti, Giannichedda, Nedved; Trezeguet, Bojinov (Camoranesi 89’)
Subs: Mirante, Paro, Marchisio, Guzman
Coach: Deschamps
REFEREE: Bestini (Arezzo)
ASSISTANTS: Carretta (Padova), Nicoletti (Macerata)
4TH OFFICIAL: Tommasi (Bassano)
ATTENDANCE. 17 112
GATE RECEIPTS: € 254 404
<br><br>Source: Juventus.com
Juventus started brightly, a fearsome Nedved free-kick in the sixth minute causing the Cesena goalkeeper all sorts of problems. Zanetti followed suit, trying his luck from the edge of the box on two occasions, but Turci’s goal remained in tact. Cesena were not here to make up the numbers, with Papa Waigo a real threat out on the right, and it was the home side who made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute; Pagliuca swung in a dangerous free-kick from the left which was diverted into the Juve goal by an unlucky Federico Balzaretti (1-0). Juventus were straight back in the opposition half, pressing for an equaliser but the Cesena back line held firm, diverting a series of Nedved free-kicks from the danger zone. It was the Czech maestro who released Trezeguet in the box in the 35th minute, the Frenchman’s effort fizzed just wide but the linesman had signalled for offside. Finally, on the stroke of half-time, the Bianconeri found their equaliser. Balzaretti floated an angled ball into the area which the Cesena defence failed to deal with, Valeri Bojinov snuck in, turning his man and firing the ball into the far side of the net to level the scores (1-1). The teams entered the tunnel all square at half-time.
Trezeguet registered the first effort on goal of the second half, heading a Zanetti cross from the right just wide of Turci’s left post five minutes in as the Bianconeri picked up where they left off at the break. Papa Waigo was once again the home side’s danger man, sending in a string of dangerous crosses from out on the right but the new look Juve defence, Birindelli having replaced Legrottaglie in the 51st minute, held firm. Trezeguet again forced a great save from the Cesena number one in the 57th minute, latching onto a Balzaretti cross and diverting the ball towards goal. In the 64th minute, the Frenchman came close once more, firing in low and wide, this time from a Bojinov cross from the left. In the 74th minute Del Piero replaced Marchionni and fifteen seconds later, he fired Juve into the lead; Nedved swung in a dangerous cross, Trezeguet supplied the header and Del Piero picked up the rebound, forcing another save from Turci with a deft header; with the goal open the number 10 fired the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 to the Bianconeri. Juve were now content to soak up the pressure and hit Cesena on the break and in the 89th minute, Camoranesi replaced Bojinov to help see out the remainder of the game. A minute later, Cesena produced a final flourish, Piccoli forcing a wonder save from Buffon with a close range header and then trying his luck with a half-volley from the edge of the box. But it was Juventus’ day, passing into the third round of the TIM Cup thanks to captain fantastic, Alex Del Piero.
CESENA – JUVENTUS: 1-2
GOALS: Balzaretti OG 23’, Bojinov 45’, Del Piero 74’
BOOKED: Pestrin 28’, Balzaretti 29’, Giannichedda 66’, Zanetti 69’, Del Piero 80’
CESENA
Turci; Biserni, Ficagna, Vignati, Lauro; Pagliuca (Virdis 79’), Pestrin, Salvetti; Papa Waigo (Bracaletti 75’), Pellè, Lazzari (Piccoli 66’)
Subs: Sarti, Jidayi, Sacilotto, Bova
Coach: Castori
JUVENTUS
Buffon; Balzaretti, Kovac, Legrottaglie (Birindelli 51’), Chiellini; Marchionni (Del Piero 74’), Zanetti, Giannichedda, Nedved; Trezeguet, Bojinov (Camoranesi 89’)
Subs: Mirante, Paro, Marchisio, Guzman
Coach: Deschamps
REFEREE: Bestini (Arezzo)
ASSISTANTS: Carretta (Padova), Nicoletti (Macerata)
4TH OFFICIAL: Tommasi (Bassano)
ATTENDANCE. 17 112
GATE RECEIPTS: € 254 404
<br><br>Source: Juventus.com
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