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by Siavush Randjbar-Daemi
PFDC Correspondent, Italy
PFDC - Perugia edged closer to avoiding relegation
today with a solid 2-0 win over Venezia in the already-relegated team's
home ground, the Sant'Elena stadium.
As usual, Rahman Rezaei featured among the eleven players making it to the
starting line-up, while Ali Samereh was left on the benches, raising
doubts over the inclusion of the former Esteghlal striker in the Perugia
team next season.
Perugia started the game determined to gain all the three points that were
up for grabs, and quickly concluded the matter, aided by a Venezia side
that showed none of the resilience displayed last week, when champions
Roma were surprisingly held to a 2-2 draw, with Venezia leading 2-0 until
the last ten minutes of play, when two controversial penalties were
awarded to Roma and netted by Vincenzo Montella.
Perugia's first goal came at the 36th minute , while the second goal
followed shortly thereafter, at the 39th minute courtesy of a twisting
header by former Venezia striker Bazzani, that chose not to celebrate as a
mark of respect to his former club. The traveling Perugia fans were
overjoyed instead and started early celebration of a crucial victory.
Serse Cosmi, the temperamental Perugia coach, was so happy that he bent
down to kiss Perugia defender Ze Maria's white-dyed hair when the
Brazilian fell to ground close to the Perugia bench after a Venezia foul!
The second half was played at a leisurely pace by both teams. Venezia's
top striker, former AC Milan player Pippo Maniero was unable to engage the
Colombian goalkeeper of Perugia, Oscar Cordoba, in crucial saves; Perugia
kept the pace of the game low as well, satisfied as the Perugia players
were with the result.
Overall, Rezaei, as most of his defensive team-mates, had a quiet game,
the outcome of which put Perugia above the busy relegation zone, despite a
yellow-card being dished out to Rezaei by the referee Rizzoli, that
performed in Serie A for the first time today. With a couple of good
performances out of the three matches left in this Serie A season, Cosmi's
boys could be looking at qualification to play the Intertoto Cup or,
better still, the UEFA Cup next season.
Statistics and video clips of the game can be found at the following page:
http://www2.raisport.rai.it/mcalcio/2001_2002/a/p0276.html
Serie A 2001-2002, Week 30th
Venezia
Sunday April 14th, 2002
Venezia: G.Rossi 6, Balleello 6, Bilica 6, Viali 5, Bettarini 5.5,
Bressan 5 (56'Magallanes 5.5), Andersson 6 (67'Lai 6), Marasco 6,
De Franceschi 5.5 (46'Santana 6), Di Napoli 5, Maniero 5.
(Brivio, Vannucchi, Moro, Donnet).
CT: Magni.
Perugia: Cordoba 5.5, Rezaei 5.5, Di Loreto 6, Milanese 6, Zé Maria 6,
Tedesco 6 (67'O'Neill 6.5), Blasi 5, Baiocco 6.5, Grosso 6.5,
Vryzas 5, Bazzani 6 (87'Gatti -).
(Tardioli, Ahn, Samereh, Fusani, Samuel).
CT: Cosmi.
Referee: Rizzoli.
Scorers: 36'Baiocco, 39'Bazzani.
Corners: 11-2 Perugia.
Booked: Rezaei(P), O'Neill(P), Bilica(V), Santana(V), Blasi(P).
Attendance: 6288.
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