It was a sold out affair for the showdown between Juventus and AC Milan at the Olimpic Stadium in Turin. Both teams had injury troubles ahead of the game as the host Juventus were missing Mauro Camoranesi as well as the visitors Kaká both were ruled out on the day of the game.
Four-star Juventus beat 10 man Milan as Gianluca Zambrotta saw red and the final scoreline read 4-2 in Juve’s favor. The Turin club keeps pace with table-topping Inter and are showing Mourinho’s men that they are true Scudetto contenders while the defeat may possibly have ended Milan’s title campaign.
First Half
History and past glories aside, this was in firsthand about the crucial points. The game shot of with pace and intensity and there was no mistaking the importance of the outcome. Juventus had a great opportunity in the opening minutes through Amauri but the Brazilian’s volley went over the crossbar.
The Bianconeri would get their lead and it came in the 16th minute when Marek Jankulovski brought down Alessandro Del Piero and lead the referee to point towards the penalty spot. Il Capitano made no errors and converted the penalty in a stylish manner, 1-0 to Juventus.
Two minutes later Massimo Ambrosini had a golden opportunity to score the leveller as he rose to meet Clarence Seedorf's cross but the midfielder headed just over an open goal. Both sides were really fired up and continued to produce chances, with Juventus having the upper hand.
On the 30 minute mark Pavel Nedved picked up a muscular injury and had to be substituted for Paolo De Ceglie. A minute after Juventus’ first substitution came the leveller for Milan. Ronaldinho’s perfect cross from the right hand side of the penalty area found his countryman Pato and the wonderkid easily put it behind Manninger.The reply from Juventus didn’t take long as Giorgio Chiellini’s towering header later put the Old Lady back in the lead once more only two minutes later.
The frustration from the Milan players started to show through by now but the misery from the first half was yet to be over. Five minutes before the halftime whistle it was Amauri’s turn to add his name on the scoresheet. Marchisio intercepted a Milan counterattack and passed the ball on to De Ceglie who found the Brazilian-born striker with a brilliant cross and the scoreline read 3-1 in Juventus’ favor.
Second half
Ten minutes into the second half it was Milan’s turn to score. Ambrosini took down the ball and unleashed a shot that deflected of Chiellini before it went into the net behind Alexander Manninger who dove to the wrong side.
Confidence went high after the goal and Milan immediately pressed for an equalizer. Ten minutes later the Milan hit a major blow as Zambrotta received marching orders after his second yellow card and left the visiting side reduced to ten men.
In the 69th minute came Amauri’s second goal for the evening as the striker restored the Bianconeri’s two-goal lead. Sissoko put a through ball to Amauri which the Brazilian headed down and shot in behind Abbiati.
The following minute Del Piero had a fine opportunity to put Juventus up by another goal but Il Capitano’s shot deflected of the far post.
Juventus largely dominated the game and frustration grabbed the upper-hand as the remaining twenty minutes were littered with cards and substitution that disturbed the flow of an otherwise enthralling affair.
Juventus – AC Milan 4-2
Del Piero pen 16 (J), Pato 31 (M), Chiellini 34 (J), Amauri 41, 69 (J), Ambrosini 56 (M)
Juventus: Manninger; Grygera, Mellberg, Chiellini, Molinaro; Marchionni, Sissoko (Zanetti 87), Marchisio, Nedved (De Ceglie 30); Del Piero, Amauri (Iaquinta 88)
Milan: Abbiati; Zambrotta, Maldini, Kaladze, Jankulovski; Ambrosini (Antonini 73), Emerson (Shevchenko 46), Pirlo; Seedorf, Ronaldinho; Pato (Inzaghi 76)
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