The Malta Independent 19 May 2024, Sunday
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Juve win derby, Milan retain third place

Malta Independent Sunday, 28 April 2013, 22:48 Last update: about 11 years ago

 

Juventus used two late goals to beat Torino 2-0 in the Derby della Mole on Sunday as the defending champion inched closer to its 29th title.

Arturo Vidal scored three minutes from time to give Juventus the victory, shortly after Torino had been denied what looked a clear penalty. Torino defender Kamil Glik was then sent off in the final minute before Claudio Marchisio sealed the result.

Antonio Conte's team is 11 points ahead of second-place Napoli and can secure the title against Palermo next weekend.

Fiorentina provisionally leapfrogged Milan into third place and the last Champions League spot after beating Sampdoria 3-0. But Milan regained the third spot later with a 4-2 win over Catania.

Elsewhere, Pablo Daniel Osvaldo scored a hat trick to help Roma to a 4-0 win over struggling Siena, which slipped into the relegation zone after Palermo beat Inter Milan 1-0.

Mirko Vucinic should have opened the scoring for Juventus in the 11th minute when he beat the offside trap to run onto Paul Pogba's through ball, but he misfired and his effort rolled wide. Vidal also had a chance shortly after but headed over.

Juventus was getting stronger and Pogba almost fired into an empty net before Glik made a decisive block. Torino almost took the lead on the stroke of halftime as Mario Santana forced goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon into a diving save.

There was more of the same in the second half as Torino continued to frustrate Juventus.

Torino hadn't scored in the past seven derby matches but could have done so late on. Alessio Cerci flashed the ball across the face of goal and Jonathas was prevented from connecting with it in front of an empty net as his shirt was being held by Leonardo Bonucci.

Torino's appeals for a penalty were waved away and Juventus took the lead when Vidal fired a shot just inside the left post from 20 meters.

Glik was then sent off for a second booking before Juventus doubled its lead when Fabio Quagliarella nodded Andrea Pirlo's free kick across goal for an unmarkd Marchisio to volley home.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina broke the deadlock in stunning fashion in the 36th minute when Juan Cuadrado blasted a screamer from 30 meters into the bottom left corner.

Adem Ljajic then squeezed in a shot between a crowd of players six minutes later for a special goal for the Fiorentina striker.

Sampdoria manager Delio Rossi was fired by Fiorentina almost a year ago to the day for punching Ljajic in the dugout.

Fiorentina sealed the result in the 73rd. Ljajic did well to force his way into the area before passing to Alberto Aquilani for the simplest of tap- ins.

Daniele Gastaldello was sent off late on for a dreadful tackle from behind on Ljajic.

In Milan, the home side missed several good chances and were punished with a Legrottaglie header. The home side continued pressing their opponents and Flamini netted the equaliser before the break.

Milan remained the better side in the second half but it was Catania who scored again, with Bergessio lifting the ball over Amelia. Pazzini replaced Nocerino for Milan and turned hero with two goals in quick succession to overturn the score. Balotelli netted home from the penalty spot in injury time for a 4-2 score.

In Rome, Osvaldo got his first in the 14th minute, collecting Erik Lamela's cross and lifting the ball over Siena goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo.

Roma doubled its lead less than two minutes later, Lamela slotting home following a delightful chip over the defence by Francesco Totti.

Osvaldo hit the post, before doubling his tally four minutes from the interval. Alessandro Florenzi did well to win the ball near the deadball line, and he cut it back to Osvaldo, who fired it into the bottom left corner.

The Italy striker completed his hat trick midway through the second half. Totti's shot was saved by Pegolo, but the ball escaped from his grasp and Osvaldo rushed forwards to tap it into an empty net.

Roma moved into fifth and boosted its chances of a Europa League spot. It is two points above seventh-place Inter.

Palermo got off to a bright start and could have taken the lead in the seventh minute but goalkeeper Samir Handanovic did well to smother Fabrizio Miccoli's volley.

The Sicilian side took the lead just three minutes later when former Palermo defender Matias Silvestre gifted the ball to Miccoli, who poked it through for Josip Ilicic to score his fifth goal in as many games.

Matters got worse for Inter when captain Javier Zanetti was carried off on a stretcher. It was later confirmed he tore his Achilles tendon and now faces a six-nine month layoff.

Zanetti joins a growing injury list at Inter, which includes Walter Samuel, Rodrigo Palacio, Diego Milito, Antonio Cassano, Walter Gargano and Fredy Guarin.

Genoa also boosted its chances of avoiding relegation when Marco Borriello helped it to a 1-0 win at Chievo Verona.

Siena is now in penultimate place in Serie A, two points below Genoa and Palermo.

Elswhere, Lazio defender Giuseppe Biava was sent off for a second booking in stoppage time as the capital club drew 0-0 at Parma.

 
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