Rapid hold Juventus

EUROPEAN Cup holders Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw by Rapid Vienna here in Vienna last night in an action-packed Group C tie in the Champions League. Christian Vieri gave Juventus an early lead but Poland's Andrzej Lesiak levelled soon afterwards for Rapid.

Both sides then had plenty of chances to settle the match, but Croatian Alen Boksic was continually foiled by Rapid keeper goalkeeper Michael Konsel and the Viennese lacked any quality finishing.

Vieri opened the scoring after nine minutes thanks to superb run by Boksic, who had scored the only goal of both the Italians' previous group matches against Manchester United and Fenerbahce.

Boksic broke through on the right flank and struck an angled shot which Rapid goalkeeper Konsel palmed away. But Vieri was there to coolly beat the last defender and fire into the roof of later with a twine header to Angelo Di Livio's comer but Konsel was there to save.

Juventus conceded their first goal of the Champions League after 20 minutes when Lesiak cracked a low 25 metre free kick straight through the Italian wall. Juventus goalkeeper Michelangelo Rampulla had no chance.

The holders hit back immediately and three chances went abegging when Boksic had only Konsel to beat. But each time the Austrian goalkeeper was able to block every lob, chip and drive.

Vieri tried a couple of long-range shots with little realistic chance of success and the game remained level at the break.

Boksic went on yet another probing run soon after the restart, but his short near-post pass was intercepted in the nick of time.

Michele Padovano replaced Vieri up front and soon made his presence felt, cracking a ferocious 120-metre drive which Konsel was glad to tip over the bar.

Juventus kept up the pressure but With 60 minutes on the clock they were caught on the counter-attack after Frenchman Didier Deschamps lost possession deep in the Rapid half.

The Austrians were quick to break but Christian Prosineck's thunderbolt swung wide of the right post.

However, Bulgarian Trifon lvanov nearly had the goal of the season when Juventus cleared a corner and the defender smacked a half-volley from 25-metres which flew narrowly wide.

Rapid looked the more dangerous side in the closing half-hour, Christian Stumpfe surging through the Juventus defence in the 80th minute, but again the shot lacked any accuracy.