Before Sunday, one of the main reasons for Juventus to complain this season was their injury situation. After today’s match against Sampdoria Bianconeri fans can add another item to the list, one which is just another manifestation of that darned bad luck persecuting the team all year long.

That item is woodwork.

Yes, as of today even posts and crossbars are conspiring against Ranieri’s boys, which tried their darndest to obtain a vital three points but found an attentive Blucerchiati defense and some evil curse of dark magic to deny them that joy (for I can find no other explanation to justify the boatload of missed chances I witnessed at the Stadio Olimpico today). The 1-1 final result will satisfy Walter Mazzarri (who has now raked four consecutive matches with points), but certainly not Juve, who see Inter and their Scudetto chances slipping further away.

Tactically, with Trezeguet/Zanetti still unfit for duty and Sissoko/Iaquinta suspended, Ranieri had his hand forced when picking the starting line-ups: Poulsen-Tiago in midfield, Amauri-Del Piero up front. The Juve captain (whose wife is expecting a second baby) must have been really inspired today, because in the initial minutes of the game he tried a rendition of his famous backheel goal against Borussia Dortmund, just slightly wide of Luca Castellazzi’s frame. A few minutes earlier the Dorian keeper had been forced into action by a thumping Nedved half-volley.

Alas for Juve, the visitors immediately seized the lead on their first chance of the game: Cassano opened up for Giampolo Pazzini (while the Bianconeri backline collectively missed the offside trap) and the ex-Fiorentina striker made a cushy job out of beating Bufffon on the first post. 1-0 Sampdoria and fourth goal in six matches for “Il Pazzo”, very much against the run of play.

Ensued a literal assault of Blucerchiati net by the home team, with Juve maintaining +60% of ball possession and launching wave after wave of crosses insde the box, none of which succesfully converted by Amauri & colleagues (and not for lack of trying). This is also when the “woodwork show” started its performance, Pavel Nedved first hitting the post (exploiting a beautiful through ball by Del Piero) then the crossbar (header redirect on a Camoranesi free-kick) trying to get the equalizer. Close but no cigar, and 1-0 Samp at the half.

The second period saw Ranieri take offensive counter-measures, inserting Sebastian Giovinco for Poulsen. Super-Seba put himself on the left wing reverting Nedved to the center, and another wave of Bianconeri assaults began. Not however before Sampdoria almost made it two on their second chance of the game, a Cassano cross deflected by Molinaro looping onto Buffon’s post and bouncing out. Close shave, but that would have really been the most outrageous slap in the face of the week-end.

Instead, it would be Juve getting the equalizer all thanks to Giovinco, finally able to find the header of Amauri inside the box. The Brazilian striker’s diving effort left Castellazzi no chance this time, 1-1.

Then, more bad luck ensued. Del Piero (who has scored six from set pieces this season) almost made it seven just two minutes later, finding the woodwork yet again on a powerful left-wing free-kick. Castellazzi was beaten. The ball just refused to go in. The Bianconeri continued to charge forward, creating more danger through Giovinco and Marchisio (on for a well-performing Tiago). To no use. Someone had obviously given Juve & the Stadio Olimpico “Malocchio” today.

Bye-bye Scudetto?

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	JUVENTUS-SAMPDORIA 1-1 [Match Highlights]
GOALSCORERS: 10’ Pazzini (S), 61’ Amauri (J).
JUVENTUS (4-4-2): Buffon – Grygera, Legrottaglie, Mellberg, Molinaro – Camoranesi (68’ Marchionni), Tiago (89’ Marchisio), Poulsen (46’ Giovinco), Nedved – Del Piero, Amauri. (bench: Manninger, Chiellini, Ariaudo, Ekdal). Coach: Ranieri.
SAMPDORIA (3-5-2): Castellazzi – Stankevicius, Gastaldello (70’ Ferri), Raggi (58’ Da Costa) – Padalino, Sammarco, Palombo, Franceschini, Pieri – Pazzini, Cassano (76’ Ziegler). (bench: Mirante, Dessena, Mustacchio, Marilungo). Coach: Mazzarri.

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Tags: Amauri, Claudio Ranieri, Giampaolo Pazzini, Juventus, Sampdoria, Serie A, Walter Mazzarri

Posted in Juventus, Sampdoria, Serie A |

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at 8:24 pm and is filed under Juventus, Sampdoria, Serie A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.