Roma 0 : 2 Juventus - Juve close gap on Roma after win - 7M sport

Roma 0 : 2 Juventus - Juve close gap on Roma after win



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Posted Sunday, April 03, 2011 by PA

Juventus scored twice in the second half at the Stadio Olimpico to beat Roma 2-0 and stay in the hunt for European football next season.

Milos Krasic struck shortly before the hour mark and Alessandro Matri notched Juve's second in the 74th minute.

Juve closed the gap on sixth-place Roma to just two points with seven games remaining.

The defeat was Roma's first under coach Vincenzo Montella and prevented the Giallorossi from gaining ground on fourth-place Udinese, who lost earlier at Lecce.

The outcome has left Roma six points behind Udinese.

Juventus were without injured captain Alessandro Del Piero and suffered a further setback when Gianluigi Buffon was kept out with a fever.

Marco Storari replaced the Italy captain in goal and was vital in Juve's win.

Storari was first called into action in the ninth minute when he was forced to fully stretch to clear a 30-yard strike from Mirko Vucinic.

Roma captain Francesco Totti was then unable to control Daniele De Rossi's long pass that landed inside Juve's area as a good opportunity went begging.

In the 17th minute, former Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani's lob went over the bar.

On the half-hour mark, Storari kept out Totti's right-footed volley from the edge of the area.

Juve reacted with Fabio Grosso getting his head on Claudio Marchisio's cross but his effort went over the bar.

Roma could have gone into the break with a 1-0 lead but Storari again denied the home side with a good save from Daniele De Rossi's bullet strike from outside the area.

Roma made their first substitution shortly after the restart with Marco Cassetti replacing the injured Philippe Mexes.

Juve broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Grosso's cross found Krasic inside the area and his right-footed volley beat Roma goalkeeper Alexander Doni.

Roma went forward in numbers, however, and they almost conceded their second.

A fast counter-attack by Juve saw Matri serve Simone Pepe inside the area but his attempt that was headed towards the right corner of the goal was turned away by Doni.

Roma were unlucky not to equalise in the 72nd minute as Jeremy Menez's bullet hit the crossbar with Storari already beaten.

The visitors then doubled their advantage.

A quick break by Juve saw Grosso centre the ball for Matri, who beat the offside trap and surged towards the area before firing past Doni.

Roma searched for a lifeline but the goal never came.



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