Serie A: Roma - Udinese [02-12-07]

[Aladino]

Just saw the goals, Taddei's was deflected and Juan's was 100% not offside.

[D-Kin]

FT 2-1 to Roma.

[dukeofdavinci]

wow...what a game.though my mind was all over the euro drwa....but im glad my giallorossi came out top today as inter won also...sheshh...a so so day today....

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 14 - 2/12/07 (14.00 UK)
Roma 2 - 1 Udinese
Juan 10 (R), Quagliarella 12 (U), Taddei 27 (R)
Stadio Olimpico

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Luciano Spalletti defeated his former club in a tight encounter that saw two red cards.

Spalletti faced his old club and the Friulani were flying high, having already earned results against Inter, Juventus, Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio this season. Francesco Totti was back in the squad for the first time since injuring his ankle on October 23, although he remained on the bench, but Alberto Aquilani and the suspended Matteo Ferrari were sidelined. Udinese had Diaz Felipe on a ban.

Roma had the first chance after less than two minutes, Mirko Vucinic getting to the byeline for a shot parried at the near post.

It was Brazilian defender Juan who broke the deadlock. A corner was passed to the edge of the area for Ludovic Giuly's strike that turned into an assist for Juan. Samir Handanovic managed to parry the first attempt from point-blank range, but could do nothing on the second.

The lead lasted all of 90 seconds, as Fabio Quagliarella gathered with his back to goal on the edge of the box and spun round to place a low right-foot daisy-cutter into the bottom near corner.

Udinese risked turning it all around when Alexander Doni flew to parry a Inler rocket and then got one hand to Quagliarella's follow-up, even though the striker was offside.

Instead Rodrigo Taddei marked his Olimpico comeback after two months out injured. Lukovic did well to close down Giuly, but the ball kept ricocheting around the box until it fell to Taddei for an angled drive.

Christian Panucci had been rested, but came on when Marco Cassetti picked up a muscular problem.

After the break Udinese threatened an equaliser, Doni having his palms stung by a D'Agostino snapshot.

Vucinic almost made Handanovic pay dearly for an error, as he rushed off his line and left the goal completely empty, but the angle was too tight and the ball rolled all the way across.

Cristian Zapata's intervention was crucial in preventing Vucinic from getting a tap-in from six yards, while Amantino Mancini should have done better when Handanovic slapped the ball off Vucinic's foot, but the goalkeeper also parried the follow-up

Juan attempted a spectacular backheel goal, flicking the ball just wide from Mancini's cross, then Daniele De Rossi's header was off target.

Udinese went down to 10 men, as substitute Giampiero Pinzi saw a straight red card just 15 minutes after coming on for scything through the back of Juan. He is a former Lazio youth product and made the mistake of letting his emotions get to him. They quickly went down to nine, as Dossena took his protests too far.

Incredibly, Udinese still nearly bagged an equaliser. Antonio Floro Flores rushed forward on the counter and Doni did well to parry the strike. Handanovic denied a Vucinic header late on.


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Roma: Doni; Cassetti (Panucci 41), Mexes, Juan, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei (Cicinho 69), Giuly, Mancini (Brighi 85); Vucinic

Udinese: Handanovic; Zapata, Coda, Lukovic; Zapotocny (Mesto 46), D’Agostino (Pinzi 63), Inler, Dossena; Pepe (Floro Flores 74), Quagliarella, Di Natale

Ref: Saccani

Sent off: Pinzi 78 (U), Dossena 79 (U)

channel4.com - Football Italia

[sinoy1]

We were extremely tired I read.Vucinic and Guily could barely function at the end.

We need to start a rotation soon.Glad to hear we won though!Good stuff from Juan and great return from Taddie.

[dukeofdavinci]

Spalletti sees open Scudetto race Sunday 2 December, 2007

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Luciano Spalletti insists Roma and Inter are not the only teams challenging for the Scudetto this season.


“It is far too early to say,” warned the Coach after the top two broke away despite having a game in hand.


“The sides that only play once a week have a real advantage, both physical and psychological. On Wednesday Inter and Roma could extend the gap, but it is premature to suggest the others are cut out of the race.


“Positions can still be turned around, especially in those periods when there are a lot of matches piled up that can demolish a squad.”


Spalletti has singled out Juventus as the side to watch in this theory, as they and Udinese are the only contenders without European commitments.


Today’s 2-1 win over Udinese allowed the Giallorossi to dampen the Friulani’s enthusiasm.


“We can have regrets over this game, but we lost against one of the clubs that could win the title,” noted Coach Pasquale Marino.


“It is true that we could have scored the equaliser when it was nine against 11, though. We were a little tense at the end and Andrea Dossena was sent off for dissent.”


In the space of a minute Udinese had two dismissals for Giampaolo Pinzi’s scything tackle on Juan and Dossena taking his protests too far.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[LaVecchiaSignora]

Vucinic was barely functional the entire game...thats why i dont believe in him. He can have a great game and score two goals, and then like today, it was like he was a rookie and never seen top flight soccer before.

[sinoy1]

I thought he was alrite.To be honest Id rather he played now instead of bringing in an unfit Totti.

But we seriously need to make some squad rotations.They cant possibly play once every 3 games.Thats just ludacris.

And I love the oompa loompa squad ( Guily,Pizarro and Cicinho ).Cant wait till they score a goal and hug only for Vucinic and De Rossi to stand a foot taller then them

[D-Kin]

[Super Pibe #7]

Great goal by quagliarella. You guys were lucky with the winner though, terrible defending by udinese.

[D-Kin]

Game highlights:

TalkSoccer Media Player

[LaVecchiaSignora]

It was a decent game, i thought it was going to be a high scoring one. Im confident we would have won 11v11 too. Udine doesnt have what it takes to beat us when we are playing well