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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Inter Milan made to wait by Chievo Verona
Source: Agencies |
May 11, 2009, Monday
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Online Edition
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Inter Milan will have to wait to celebrate a fourth straight Serie A title after drawing 2-2 with Chievo Verona yesterday.
Jose Mourinho's team went into the match knowing that a win coupled with Juventus beating AC Milan in the late match would secure the championship.
However, Chievo had other plans, and equalized twice to secure a point as it fights to stave off relegation.
Milan's 1-1 draw with Juventus means Inter just needs to beat Siena at the San Siro next week to be win the title for the 17th time.
Inter leads with 78 points. Milan is second with 71, four more than Juventus and seven in front of Fiorentina.
"I said we needed six points, but five points over the last three matches should be enough," Mourinho said. "We have two games at home and one away, so we should be able to get the five points. Of course, I want Juventus to win because it makes our job easier, but I have other things to worry about.
"I have to say that Chievo played well and earned its point. When it was 2-1 we should have played better, but we gave Chievo its point. We gave the ball away too much, especially in dangerous areas.
Hernan Crespo put Inter in the lead when he pounced on a loose ball after Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino had spilled Esteban Cambiasso's shot.
However, Chievo came back and was level at halftime when Michele Marcolini shot home from long range.
It appeared that Inter had ridden out the storm when Mario Balotelli hit a powerful half-volley from the edge of the area, but Chievo captain Luciano volleyed in Andrea Mantovani's cross in the 73rd for a share of the points.
At the San Siro, Milan and Juventus both began strongly and worked hard to create chances, but neither side found the net in the first half.
"The title is an off-limit conversation," AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "Now we need one win to be certain of finishing in the top three (for automatic qualification for the Champions League group stages) and we'll try to get it next Saturday against Udinese.
"Juventus didn't let us play with any fluidity and closed the space, especially in the first half. We didn't develop our play well enough and Juventus closed things down well.
Milan's Filippo Inzaghi and Juventus' Vincenzo Iaquinta caused problems with their movement and could have done better on occasions.
In the second half, Inzaghi beat the offside trap and cut the ball back to Massimo Ambrosini. The midfielder hit a poor shot that dribbled across the goal but Clarence Seedorf tapped in the ball.
Juventus was soon level. Fullback Zdenek Grygera hit a long ball into the box and Iaquinta dived to head it low past goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac.
"We've restarted," Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri said. "That was more like it should be, like going back to the good Juventus, as we were a month ago, concentrated and compact... We created three or four good chances, but then all of a sudden we are a goal down, but the way we were playing we knew sooner or later we would score a goal."
Fiorentina appears set to take the fourth Champions League spot after a 2-0 win away over Catania. Goals from Stevan Jovetic in the first half and Luciano Zauri in second-half injury time put Cesare Prandelli's side three points ahead of Genoa, which could only draw 1-1 with Atalanta.
There is even a possibility that Fiorentina may overtake Juventus in third.
"At the moment, I'm worrying about what we are doing," Prandelli said. "Our objective is six points. Next week, we are playing Sampdoria, who will want to cause us problems in Florence.
"The players want to get onto the pitch and improve on the week before. This confidence spreads throughout the team and means our spirit is our strength."
Jovetic scored an early goal when he ran onto a long clearance to shoot low past goalkeeper Tomas Kosicky.
Catania striker Giacomo Tedesco forced Sebastien Frey into a low save just before halftime, but that was the nearest the Sicilians came.
Juan Vargas shot wide early in second half and Jovetic missed with a point-blank header before Zauri pounced on a loose ball to double the lead.
Also yesterday, it was; Cagliari 2, AS Roma 2; Lecce 1, Napoli 1; Siena 1, Palermo 0; Torino 1, Bologna 0.
Jose Mourinho's team went into the match knowing that a win coupled with Juventus beating AC Milan in the late match would secure the championship.
However, Chievo had other plans, and equalized twice to secure a point as it fights to stave off relegation.
Milan's 1-1 draw with Juventus means Inter just needs to beat Siena at the San Siro next week to be win the title for the 17th time.
Inter leads with 78 points. Milan is second with 71, four more than Juventus and seven in front of Fiorentina.
"I said we needed six points, but five points over the last three matches should be enough," Mourinho said. "We have two games at home and one away, so we should be able to get the five points. Of course, I want Juventus to win because it makes our job easier, but I have other things to worry about.
"I have to say that Chievo played well and earned its point. When it was 2-1 we should have played better, but we gave Chievo its point. We gave the ball away too much, especially in dangerous areas.
Hernan Crespo put Inter in the lead when he pounced on a loose ball after Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino had spilled Esteban Cambiasso's shot.
However, Chievo came back and was level at halftime when Michele Marcolini shot home from long range.
It appeared that Inter had ridden out the storm when Mario Balotelli hit a powerful half-volley from the edge of the area, but Chievo captain Luciano volleyed in Andrea Mantovani's cross in the 73rd for a share of the points.
At the San Siro, Milan and Juventus both began strongly and worked hard to create chances, but neither side found the net in the first half.
"The title is an off-limit conversation," AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "Now we need one win to be certain of finishing in the top three (for automatic qualification for the Champions League group stages) and we'll try to get it next Saturday against Udinese.
"Juventus didn't let us play with any fluidity and closed the space, especially in the first half. We didn't develop our play well enough and Juventus closed things down well.
Milan's Filippo Inzaghi and Juventus' Vincenzo Iaquinta caused problems with their movement and could have done better on occasions.
In the second half, Inzaghi beat the offside trap and cut the ball back to Massimo Ambrosini. The midfielder hit a poor shot that dribbled across the goal but Clarence Seedorf tapped in the ball.
Juventus was soon level. Fullback Zdenek Grygera hit a long ball into the box and Iaquinta dived to head it low past goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac.
"We've restarted," Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri said. "That was more like it should be, like going back to the good Juventus, as we were a month ago, concentrated and compact... We created three or four good chances, but then all of a sudden we are a goal down, but the way we were playing we knew sooner or later we would score a goal."
Fiorentina appears set to take the fourth Champions League spot after a 2-0 win away over Catania. Goals from Stevan Jovetic in the first half and Luciano Zauri in second-half injury time put Cesare Prandelli's side three points ahead of Genoa, which could only draw 1-1 with Atalanta.
There is even a possibility that Fiorentina may overtake Juventus in third.
"At the moment, I'm worrying about what we are doing," Prandelli said. "Our objective is six points. Next week, we are playing Sampdoria, who will want to cause us problems in Florence.
"The players want to get onto the pitch and improve on the week before. This confidence spreads throughout the team and means our spirit is our strength."
Jovetic scored an early goal when he ran onto a long clearance to shoot low past goalkeeper Tomas Kosicky.
Catania striker Giacomo Tedesco forced Sebastien Frey into a low save just before halftime, but that was the nearest the Sicilians came.
Juan Vargas shot wide early in second half and Jovetic missed with a point-blank header before Zauri pounced on a loose ball to double the lead.
Also yesterday, it was; Cagliari 2, AS Roma 2; Lecce 1, Napoli 1; Siena 1, Palermo 0; Torino 1, Bologna 0.
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