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Teen Giovinco sizzles for Juventus

JUVENTUS ended a difficult week on a high when winger Sebastian Giovinco inspired a 4-1 home win over Bologna on Saturday.

Second-placed Juve, eliminated by Chelsea in the Champions League last-16 last Tuesday, cut the gap on Serie A leader Inter Milan to four points before the champion hosted Fiorentina in yesterday's late game.

A raft of injuries meant the Juventus side practically picked itself, with four youth team players on the bench.

A tough few days, which included a public spat between striker David Trezeguet and coach Claudio Ranieri, looked to have taken their toll midway through the first half when fifth-bottom Bologna opened the scoring.

Massimo Mutarelli nutmegged goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon after former Juve striker Marco Di Vaio played him in with a superbly disguised pass.

The hosts hit back early in the second period when Hasan Salihamidzic expertly headed in Giovinco's corner and the 22-year-old wide man then grabbed a deserved goal when he sliced the ball in after Vincenzo Iaquinta's layoff.

Alessandro Del Piero, who hit the woodwork twice, lashed home a third in the 75th before tapping in a late fourth but Giovinco was easily the man of the match.

Champions League hopeful Genoa earlier moved above Fiorentina into fourth spot when substitute Ruben Olivera secured a 1-0 win at 10-man Cagliari.

In France, Girondins Bordeaux kept its Ligue 1 title hopes alive with a 2-1 home victory over mid-table Nice on Saturday.

Bordeaux, with just one win in its last six league games, moved up to third on 50 points from 28 games, three points behind leader Olympique Lyon which was hosting Auxerre yesterday.

Bordeaux triumphed thanks to goals by Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh, who opened the scoring from close range after 18 minutes, and defender Henrique, who headed home a cross from fellow Brazilian Wendel just after halftime.

Habib Bamogo had given the visitors hope when he equalized from the penalty spot five minutes after the hosts went behind.

"We needed that win after our bad performance in Toulouse," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc said, referring to a 0-3 defeat the previous week.

Toulouse squandered an opportunity to go second when a late Igor Lolo goal gave Monaco a 3-2 home win to hand the visitors their first defeat in 13 Ligue 1 games.

Toulouse is fifth with 49 points from 28 matches.




 

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