Saturday 21st September 2002

Italy Serie-A - Kick-Off 7.30 p.m

Juve are starting with both Di Vaio and Salas in attack, and Del Piero 'in the hole' just behind the two strikers, Nedved drops back to midfield and Carriacolo is on the bench

The two teams enter the field, Empoli are in blue, Juve are in all white.

Empoli get the game started

Saudati gets forward, he's halted in his tracks by Paolo Montero

Vannucchi tries to get forward, but he too can't get past Montero

Saudati tries a shot, Buffon makes the save

Nedved wins the ball, he finds Del Piero and he's brought down. Juve get a free-kick

Nedved takes a corner. Di Natale gets the ball clear but it falls to Baiocco. He finds Del Piero in the box and Berti fouls him, Juve get a penalty

Del Piero converts the spot-kick in the 6th minute

GOAL !!! DEL PIERO !!! EMPOLI 0-1 JUVENTUS

Empoli come straight back at Juve, Di Natale's back-heel finds Saudati, he gets past Thuram but can't beat Buffon

Empoli win a free-kick. Vannucchi take sit, he plays the ball into the box, Nedved gets up well and heads the ball clear

Grella fouls Nedved in midfield and Juve get a free-kick

Vannucchi treis to break free but he's tackled by Baiocco

Montero plays a long bal forward for Di Vaio to chase but he's beaten to it by Atzori who plays the ball back to his goalkeeper

Di Vaio tries to get down the right but he's blocked by Cribari

Tacchinardi finds Del Piero, he's fouled again and Juve get a free-kick

Del Piero plays the ball into the box, looking for Nedved. The Czech tries a header but he's offside, he missed the ball anyway

Montero fouls Di Natale and Empoli get the free-kick, Vannucchi's effort is deflected behind for a corner to Empoli

Vannucchi's corner is punched clear by Gianluigi Buffon, the ball falls to Di Natale but he shoots over the bar from just outside the box

The ball is played down the right flank for Vannucchi to chase but it's over-hit and he can't reach it

Nedved crosses from the right flank, Di vaio heads ontowards Del Piero but he mistakes his first touch and the chance is wasted

Di Natale gets past Thuram and gets the bal into the box, Busce has only Buffon to beat but a geat sliding tackle from Moretti saves the day for Juve

Baiocco threads the ball through for the Juve strikers but it rolls straight into the arms of Berti in the Empoli goal

Nedved tries a shot from long distance but his effort goes well wide of the target

Di Natale crosses from the right, Montero puts the ball behind for a corner to Empoli

Vannucchi crosses into the centre, Moretti gets the ball clear

Belleri and Di Natale combine well and a cross comes over from the right, the bal bounces around and Buffon eventually saves

Giampieretti fouls Del Piero and Juve get the free-kick. Juve win a corner, Balleri gets the ball behind, Juve get another corner

Del Piero crosses, Di Vaio heads onward, Giampieretti fouls del Piero again

Del Piero crosses, Montero knocks the ball goalwards but the Empoli defence get it clear of danger

Di Vaio beats Cribari and wins a corner. Del Piero crosses, Tacchinardi tries a snap-shot, the defence get the ball clear again

Saudati plays the ball forward, Thuram does well to beat Busce, Buffon then gets the ball to safety

Busce tries a cross from the left but his effort is wayward

Di Natale plays the ball forward looking for Saudati but it's easily gathered by Buffon

THuram plays the bal forward, Salas back-heels it to Del Piero but his shot is too high and too far to the right

Salas does well down the left, Berti is beaten and Del Piero gets the ball into the net but it's given offside

Nedved threads the bal lthrough to DelPiero, Negri makes an interception

Del Piero gets another chance, this time Grella makes the challenge

Del Piero plays a free-kick into the box from the right, Grella heads it clear

Thuram puts a great cross over for Salas, he just fails to capitalise on it

Iuliano gives away a corner-kick as he tackles Saudati, the ball is played short and Del Piero closes in on Cribari as he tries to cross

Vannucchi finds Di Natale, Iuliano then fouls Saudati and Empoli get a free-kick

Iuliano then fouls Vannuchhi and he receives the first Yellow Card of the game

HALF-TIME : EMPOLI 0-1 JUVENTUS

Second-Half Starts

Rocchi has replaces Busci for Empoli at half-time

Di Natele treis a shot, Buffn makes the save

Grella receives a Yellow Card following a foul on Del PIero

Saudati is given offside and theres some argument about the decision

Del Piero shoots from a free-kick, it goes just wide of the goal

Camoranesi replaces Di Vaio foro Juve after 55-minutes

Camoranesi sets Salas off but he's blocked by Cribari

Di Natale gets past Thuram but he can't get past the other Juve defenders

Di Natale is caught offside for Empoli

Del Piero takes a free-kick, again Cribari gets the ball clear

Vannucchi finds Saudati on the edge of the area, he appears to be fouled but the referee dowsn't see the incident

Camoranesi beats two defenders and shoots, Berti makes the save

Saudati shoots low, Buffon gets down well and makes the save

Tudor replaces Baiocco for Juve after 69-minutes

Del Piero goes on a great run, he combines well in the box and adds his second of the game

GOAL !!! DEL PIERO !!! EMPOLI 0-2 JUVENTUS

Zenoni replaces Tacchinardi for Juventus

Salas has only the goalkeeper to beat, but his final shot is tame

Nedved finds Del Piero in an offside position

Grieco replaces Saudati for Empoli in the 81st minute

Ficini replaces Grella for Empoli in the 81 st minute

Atzore receives a Yellow Card for Empoli

Berti saves from Del Piero and then from Nedved before Salas is caught offside

FULL-TIME : EMPOLI 0-2 JUVENTUS