Juventus 2 : 2 Catania - Lodi leaves it late

Posted Saturday, April 23, 2011 by PA

Francesco Lodi scored with the last kick of the game to earn Catania a 2-2 draw at Juventus.

Two goals from Alessandro Del Piero in the first half, the first one from the penalty spot, gave Juve what seemed to be a comfortable advantage at the interval.

But Catania fought back in the second half with Alejandro Gomez giving them hope nine minutes from time.

Lodi then scored a direct free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Catania a crucial point in their battle against relegation.

Claudio Marchisio tested Mariano Andujar in the seventh minute, but the Catania goalkeeper made a good save low down to his right.

Juve were gifted the chance to go ahead in the 18th minute when referee Mauro Bergonzi noticed a handball by Pablo Alvarez inside the penalty area and pointed to the spot.

Del Piero stepped up to send Andujar the wrong way and give the Bianconeri the lead.

Another stroke of luck saw Del Piero double Juve's lead in the 38th minute.

Matias Silvestre, in trying to clear a cross from Milos Krasic, only managed to lift the ball against the chest of the Juve striker and the ball rebounded into the back of the net without Del Piero really knowing much about it.

Luck was not on Catania's side, though, as Gomez discovered a minute later when his 25-yard shot hit the crossbar.

Del Piero nearly completed a hat-trick two minutes before half-time, but Andujar scampered across his goal to push his direct free-kick wide of the post.

Catania committed men forward in the second half and their dangerman Gomez tested Gianluigi Buffon in the 68th minute.

Juve sub Luca Toni could have wrapped up the win in the 77th minute, but his header was saved acrobatically by Andujar.

Gomez set up a grandstand finish in the 81st minute when he met Bergessio's low cross unmarked at the far post to reduce the arrears.

The Sicilians sent everybody forward in search of an equaliser and Juve missed two glorious chances on the counter-attack to put the result beyond doubt.

And they proved costly as Lodi scored with a free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time with the referee blowing the final whistle as the ball rippled the back of the net.