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Serie A leaders Juventus held 1-1 by Chievo
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-19 09:40
ROME, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Juventus had their lead at the top of Serie A
trimmed to eight points when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Chievo Verona on
Wednesday.
Juventus' Zlatan
Ibrahimovic looks towards the ball during their Italian Serie A match
against Chievo Verona at the Bentegodi Stadium in Verona, northern Italy
January 18, 2006. [Reuters] | The result at
Chievo's Bentegodi stadium left Juventus with 53 points from 20 matches.
Second-placed Inter Milan kept their title challenge on course with a 1-0
victory over bottom-placed side Treviso.
AC Milan lie third on 43 points after a Filippo Inzaghi goal gave them a 1-0
win against Ascoli.
Fiorentina remain fourth on 40 points despite a 3-1 defeat at the hands of
Sampdoria.
Chievo had lost every game against Juventus at the Bentegodi since they
arrived in the top flight in 2001 and did not look capable of much resistance in
the early stages as keeper Alberto Fontana twice parried shots by Zlatan
Ibrahimovic.
It seemed only a matter of time before Juve took the lead, but in the 22nd
minute a Chievo break ended with midfielder Franco Semioli racing down the left
to cross for Daniele Franceschini to volley past Gianluigi Buffon.
Their lead was short-lived. Midfielder Patrick Vieira headed Juve's equaliser
just past the half hour but the champions never managed to stamp their authority
on the match.
Both teams created chances in the second half. Chievo defender Federico
Giunti hit a long-range effort just over the bar while at the other end Fontana
dived to scoop Alessandro Del Piero's low cross away from the feet of David
Trezeguet.
RARE SLIP
The draw was only the third time this season the leaders had dropped points
in Serie A, following a 3-1 defeat to Milan in October and a 1-1 draw with Lazio
in December.
The main beneficiaries of Juve's slip were their nearest challengers Inter,
who went ahead in the 22nd minute at Treviso courtesy of a Julio Cruz header.
Adriano went close to extending their lead with a shot that hit the post just
before the break.
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