Del Piero 0-2
Del Piero 0-3
Del Piero 0-4
This game was over as soon as it started as a lightning Juventus side struck early to dash Atalanta’s hopes of getting anything from the game. The Old Lady was rampant and in stunning form as she made light work of an Atalanta side who just couldn’t compete with Claudio Ranieri’s side.
First Half
It was a dream start for Juventus who took the lead in just 45 seconds. The Bianconeri kicked off and went forward straight away. Nedved was fouled on the left wing and the referee awarded a free kick. Del Piero swung in the cross which found Legrottaglie’s head. The defender nodded the ball into the bottom corner leaving Coppola with no chance. It was a superb start for the Old Lady who rampant. It was not long before the Bianconeri doubled their advantage. Camoranesi played a high ball towards the far post which was nodded down by Trezeguet to Del Piero, Pinturrichio smashed the ball home on the volley.
It was all Juventus as Claudio Ranieri’s men showed no sign of stopping as they went in search of a third. Trezeguet should have put the tie to bed when he twisted and turned Rivalta but he couldn’t bury the ball past Coppola who scrambled it away. The Bianconeri dominated the game on all fronts as Atalanta were pegged back into their own half and offered little resistance to the Juventus onslaught. The Nerazzurri seemed flat and lacklustre as they played the long-ball game which was easy and predictable for Juve. The home side did have Buffon scrambling across goal after Bellini hit a spectacular volley from distance. However the ball whizzed wide as Atalanta began to bite back.
Ranieri’s men then seemed to step off the pedal as the Nerazzurri tried to find a way back into the game, however the Old Lady was well organised at the back and the home side could not really penetrate the wall of Bianconeri players. Buffon was called into action following Manfredini’s header, it was a good effort by the midfielder but the goalkeeper always had it covered. Floccari could and should have grabbed one back following his header on goal, but it went wide.
Just as Atalanta began to get their hopes up, Juve brought them back down to earth with a nasty bump. Zanetti played Del Piero through with a terrific ball and the striker beat the offside trap as he raced towards Coppola’s goal, he steadied himself and placed it past the ‘Keeper at his near post. It was a cool finish by a man on fire.
Second Half
The home side got the game underway and Gigi Del Neri introduced Marconi and Padoin as the ineffective Langella and Paolucci made way. Marconi did test Buffon with a powerful left foot drive but the ‘Keeper always had it covered. The Bianconeri looked in control as they kept their noses in front. Atalanta huffed and puffed but they couldn’t blow the Old Lady’s house down. Del Piero should have had his hat-trick when he smashed Nedved’s cross on the volley but Coppola made a good save to deny him.
Atalanta were playing better football but they just couldn’t get things going in the final third as poor finishing and a lack of punch by Guarente ensured Juve maintained their lead. There was some concern on the Juventus bench when Trezeguet went down clutching his ankle but it turned out to be nothing serious. Minutes later Trezeguet set up Del Piero for his hat-trick as Juventus wrapped up the game. The Frenchman chipped the ball over the Atalanta defence as Pinturrichio volley home for his third and Juve’s fourth.
The game always threatened to turn into a rout for Juventus as they showed no sign of applying the breaks. The Old Lady came forward time after time and the home side were lucky the score line didn’t become too embarrassing. Del Piero then made way for Palladino as the whole stadium stood up to applaud the hat-trick hero. It was a well deserved victory for the Bianconeri as they keep up the pressure on Roma.
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