Juve stays in hunt for Euro spot
Source: Agencies |
May 4, 2011, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A LATE Simone Pepe goal earned Juventus a 1-0 win at Lazio on Monday to keep alive its hopes of qualifying for Europe.
The deflected strike from the Italian in the 87th minute was tough on fourth-placed Lazio, which dominated the match in Rome but had to play the last nine minutes with 10 men after Cristian Ledesma was sent off.
The result left Lazio on 60 points with three Serie A matches to play - one point above AS Roma and Udinese with seventh-placed Juventus a further three points adrift.
The teams finishing fifth and sixth qualify for the Europa League.
"It was a satisfying win because Lazio played better," Pepe told Sky Italia television. "They didn't allow us to play and we had to defend for long periods but in the end we showed our spirit and that we are united as a team."
Lazio coach Edy Reja said his side should have been awarded a penalty after a challenge by Giorgio Chiellini on Sergio Floccari midway through the second half.
Clear penalty
"There was a clear penalty that would have changed the game," he said. "Not only are decisions going against us, we seem to be having a lot of bad luck at the moment like the deflection on their goal. But we are still in the Champions League places."
On Sunday, AC Milan defeated Bologna 1-0 to go eight points clear of Inter Milan and move to the brink of its first Serie A title in seven years.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao's bid for a berth in the Europa League stuttered when it lost 1-2 at Espanyol on Monday.
The defeat meant Barcelona-based Espanyol, whose coach Mauricio Pochettino signed a two-year contract extension on Sunday, closed within three points of seventh-placed Bilbao.
Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are fifth and sixth, respectively, on 52 points, Bilbao has 51 and Espanyol 48.
The teams finishing fifth, sixth and seventh qualify for the Europa League.
There was no change at the top as leader Barcelona and Real Madrid lost on Saturday ahead of their Champions League semifinal second leg at the Nou Camp yesterday.
The deflected strike from the Italian in the 87th minute was tough on fourth-placed Lazio, which dominated the match in Rome but had to play the last nine minutes with 10 men after Cristian Ledesma was sent off.
The result left Lazio on 60 points with three Serie A matches to play - one point above AS Roma and Udinese with seventh-placed Juventus a further three points adrift.
The teams finishing fifth and sixth qualify for the Europa League.
"It was a satisfying win because Lazio played better," Pepe told Sky Italia television. "They didn't allow us to play and we had to defend for long periods but in the end we showed our spirit and that we are united as a team."
Lazio coach Edy Reja said his side should have been awarded a penalty after a challenge by Giorgio Chiellini on Sergio Floccari midway through the second half.
Clear penalty
"There was a clear penalty that would have changed the game," he said. "Not only are decisions going against us, we seem to be having a lot of bad luck at the moment like the deflection on their goal. But we are still in the Champions League places."
On Sunday, AC Milan defeated Bologna 1-0 to go eight points clear of Inter Milan and move to the brink of its first Serie A title in seven years.
In Spain, Athletic Bilbao's bid for a berth in the Europa League stuttered when it lost 1-2 at Espanyol on Monday.
The defeat meant Barcelona-based Espanyol, whose coach Mauricio Pochettino signed a two-year contract extension on Sunday, closed within three points of seventh-placed Bilbao.
Sevilla and Atletico Madrid are fifth and sixth, respectively, on 52 points, Bilbao has 51 and Espanyol 48.
The teams finishing fifth, sixth and seventh qualify for the Europa League.
There was no change at the top as leader Barcelona and Real Madrid lost on Saturday ahead of their Champions League semifinal second leg at the Nou Camp yesterday.
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