Juventus ride luck to grab draw in Milan
Reuters - Saturday 25 February 2012, 23:31
Unbeaten Juventus snatched a
late goal to draw 1-1 at AC Milan in Serie A's top-of-the-table
clash on Saturday after the hosts had a goal disallowed when
officials failed to spot the ball had crossed the line.
Antonio Nocerino gave Milan a 14th-minute lead and Sulley
Muntari appeared to head the second goal soon after, TV replays
clearly showing the ball had gone over the line before goalkeeper
Gianluigi Buffon clawed it away, but play was waved on.
Juve made the most of their escape and salvaged a point with
seven minutes to go when substitute Alessandro Matri smashed in
a right-foot volley from close range, just after he had a goal
disallowed in another refereeing controversy.
Leaders Milan stayed one point clear at the top, with 51
points from 25 matches. Juve, who had Arturo Vidal sent off
after 89 minutes, have a game in hand.
Juve have gone 27 league and cup matches this season without
defeat and had already beaten Milan once in each competition.
"There's no sadness, we played a good match," Milan coach
Massimiliano Allegri told the club's website.
"The 'goal' would have damaged them and it would have been a
different game."
Opposite number Antonio Conte told Sky Sports Italia: "I can
say that two good goals were disallowed. I don't think Matri's
counts for less."
Argentine striker Rodrigo Palacio scored twice in the last
18 minutes to give 10th-placed Genoa a 2-2 draw at home to
Parma, who are 13th, in Saturday's other game.
Massimo Gobbi and Sergio Floccari netted early in each half
for the visitors.
Milan dominated the first half despite the absence of top
scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who was serving the third game of a
three-match ban, while Juve took control in the second period in
an open contest full of dramatic twists.
GIFT GOAL
Juve, with playmaker Andrea Pirlo disappointing against the
club where he spent 10 seasons, had trouble passing their
way out of defence throughout the first half and gifted Milan
their goal.
Leonardo Bonucci sent the ball straight to Urby Emanuelson
and the Dutchman quickly fed Nocerino who scored with a 25-metre
shot which deflected in off the hapless Bonucci.
The turning point came soon after when Philippe Mexes met
Emanuelson's cross with a powerful header that Buffon parried
straight to Muntari.
The Ghanaian's header clearly crossed the line before being
pushed away by the goalkeeper but, while Milan's players celebrated,
the referee waved play on amid general bewilderment.
"I'm going to be honest, we were let off in that situation
but it went the other way in the second half. The game should
have ended 2-2," Buffon told Juve's website.
Juve broke away immediately after the incident and nearly
stole an equaliser when Marcelo Estigarribia's shot was turned
away by Christian Abbiati.
Milan forward Robinho was in inspired form, showing the
dribbling ability and trickery which earned him the nickname the
'King of the Stepovers' in his native Brazil, and forced Buffon to
dive at his feet to prevent a second goal.
Juve forwards Matri, Mirko Vucinic and Simone Pepe,
surprisingly left on the bench by Conte, all came on after the
break and the game changed completely.
Abbiati made a brilliant stop to deny Fabio Quagliarella at
point-blank range before Matri had a goal disallowed.
Replays showed he was in line with the last defender when he
received a pass before slotting the ball into the net.
Matri eventually got on the scoresheet when he converted
Pepe's inswinging cross, exhausted Milan players dropping to
their knees in disbelief.