Juventus miss chance to go top

Reigning champions Juventus blew the chance to go level on points with leaders AC Milan when their unbeaten Italian league run…

Reigning champions Juventus blew the chance to go level on points with leaders AC Milan when their unbeaten Italian league run was ended by a shock 2-0 defeat at Brescia today.

Juve were looking good for at least a point until Austrian midfielder Markus Schopp broke the deadlock with a towering header 12 minutes from time.

The visitors poured forward in search of an equaliser but were caught out by a swift counter-attack which led to Brescia's second goal, scored by Albanian international striker Igli Tare.

Juventus remain fourth with 26 points from 13 matches, three behind table-toppers Milan who won 1-0 at home to AS Roma on Saturday night.

READ MORE

Brescia's colourful coach Carlo Mazzone was on the edge of his seat during stoppage-time, even though his team were holding a healthy two-goal lead.

"The seven minutes of injury-time seemed like an eternity," he said. "I was afraid because Juventus are specialists in getting back into matches late in the game.

"Had we only been 1-0 up I would have been scared stiff!"

Brescia's veteran striker Roberto Baggio, a former Juventus idol, said the three points were hugely important as the club battle to avoid the drop to Serie B.

"A win was crucial as we were getting sucked into the relegation zone," said the former Italy international.

"We're still far from being safe but we can take confidence from this result. To beat the champions gives us a massive lift."

Juventus are currently not speaking to the media so as not to provoke any controversy which may lead to violence between rival fans.

Brazilian striker Adriano scored twice as Parma overcame Reggina 2-0 at the Ennio Tardini stadium, while a last-gasp penalty from Vincenzo Iaquinta gave Udinese a 2-1 win at home to Empoli.

Elsewhere, Modena were held to a 1-1 draw at home to bottom club Como and Perugia played out a 0-0 draw against Piacenza.

On Saturday Filippo Inzaghi came off the bench to score the decisive goal which took Milan back to the top of the table.

Inzaghi netted with a cool finish in the 73rd minute in an otherwise dull encounter at the San Siro.

The visitors protested that Inzaghi had used his arm to control the ball before beating Francesco Antonioli, but after consulting with his assistant, referee Pierluigi Collina said the goal was good.

In Saturday's other match Lazio threw away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with title rivals Inter Milan in a tense thriller at the Stadio Olimpico.

Claudio Lopez's stunning first-half hat-trick gave Lazio a commanding lead before Fernando Couto's bizarre own goal handed Inter a lifeline just before the interval.

Two long-range strikes from Turkey international midfielder Emre Belozoglu in a dramatic eight-minute, second-half spell completed Inter's amazing comeback.