The Bianconeri cannot take any point home against Palermo on their good day. The home side scores on their first occasion and mantains their advantage until the very end. The winning goal for Guidolin’s side occurs on 12’ minutes: Corini shoots a free kick, Buffon clears, the ball is intercepted by Brienza who taps it in from the edge of the box (12’). Guidolin’s squad tries to get dangerous particularly on place kicks, Corini’s speciality, and on Grosso’s left-wing attacks. The Bianconeri make two attempts to target, both from Olivera, the first on a free kick (32’), the second from the long distance (44’). Other good occasions for Juventus come from Zambrotta’s excellent work on the left wing, where he intercepts a ball in the last minutes into the first half but it ends beyond the goal line, closed down by two opponents.
During the break, Capello replaces Birindelli with Zalayeta. In the second half, Juventus are more lively and kick off attacking: in the first minutes, Zebina and Trezeguet aim at Guardalben’s net but both efforts end beyond the goal line. Palermo return to attack on 12’ minutes with a long action into Juventus’s area that finishes with Grosso’s drive blocked by Buffon . After 15 minutes, a struggle into the Rosanero area remains vain. On 21’ minutes, the Bianconeri’s defence is worried by Brienza’s drive, cleared by Buffon, then Barone intercepts the ball and kicks it wide of the post. After 27’ minutes, Zambrotta tries a powerful left-footed shot from the distance but it misses the target. Two minutes later, Zalayeta’s cross is intercepted by Corini who nearly scores an own-goal and Guardalben deflects out into the corner. On 33’ minutes Morrone serves Santana but his lob is off target and so it is Emerson’s overhead kick. Juventus attempt again in the last few minutes of the match but cannot catch up.
PALERMO-JUVENTUS 1-0
GOALS: 12’fh Brienza
PALERMO: Guardalben, Conteh, Barzagli, Biava, Mutarelli (1’sh Morrone), Barone, Corini, Grosso, Zauli (7’sh Santana), Brienza (26’sh Gonzales), Toni. Manager: Guidolin. Substitutes: Santoni, Terlizzi, Gonzales, Raimondi, Ferri.
JUVENTUS: Buffon, Zebina, Thuram, Cannavaro, Birindelli (1’sh Zalayeta), Zambrotta, Emerson, Tacchinardi (19’sh Blasi), Olivera, Ibrahimovic, Trezeguet. Manager: Capello. Substitutes: Chimenti, Ferrara, Montero, Appiah, Del Piero.
REFEREE: De Santis
YELLOW CARDS: 20’fh Barone, 33’fh Olivera, 6’sh Zauli, 6’sh Zebina