COPPA ITALIA 1999/2000
In defense of our coppa!

Wednesday 1st December 1999

Cagliari 1 Parma 0

CAGLIARI – The only thing that managed to stop Parma’s march in the Italian Cup was a penalty. In Cagliari a totally revamped Gialloblu team did everything right up to the 75th minute when a hurried intervention from Andrea Ghidini gave the islanders a penalty that would decide the match. But Parma certainly deserved a draw, especially the numerous players making their debuts in this match who showed moments of good play on a treacherous surface in poor conditions. The first difficulties Parma encountered were related to the poor condition of the pitch. Parma, who had hoped to find a good pitch, had once again to contend with muddy conditions, due to rainfall right up to only a few minutes before kick-off. But this Parma full of replacements approached the match wanting to do well. They immediately looked dangerous with a deep cross from Johan Walem for Hernan Crespo, whose diagonal shot was pushed to one side for a corner by Alessio Scarpi. All eyes were obviously on 18-year-old Andrea Ghidini from Mantua, the current golden boy of Valter Salvioni’s youth team. The youngster quickly fitted in to the team. Alongside him was another debutante: Jorge Bolano, who having played on a numerous occasions for the Colombian national team, had no such worries.

Ten minutes passed and another player making his first start made an impact: in the 10’ minute Matteo Guardalben saved a fierce free kick by Fabian O’Neill, deserving the applause from the small crowd at the Sant’Elia stadium. Parma replied with a free kick on 13’minutes when Walem grazed Scarpi’s left and post. On 22 minutes Roberto Breda saw the Cagliari goalkeeper off his line and tried a shot from 30 metres out, the ball flew over the goalkeeper but finished to the right of the Rossoblu goal. Four minutes later Johnnier Montano tried his luck with a shot that went wide. It was in fact the young Colombian striker who was the most dangerous among Malesani’s men. The young South American engineered chances and frequently looked dangerous on the edge of the box causing his opponents to continually bring him down. In the 40’ minute Parma had a great chance. Another deep cross from Walem found Crespo who unfortunately miss controlled the ball giving Scarpi time to gather the ball at the attackers feet. It was to be the last decent chance of the first half which Bolognino and Bonfrisco brought to a close after two minutes of added time.

After the interval it took only one minute for Cagliari to once again look dangerous with Oliveira who having got past Stefano Torrisi forced a good diving save from Guardalben. The game continued with neither goalkeeper being called upon to do very much. Parma look quite happy to sit back and control the match, even though it is Montano who looks the most dangerous player on the pitch. On 60’minutes the Sardinians look dangerous when a cross by Luis Oliveira finds Tiziano De Patre in the box whose header goes only inches wide. Cagliari go close once again on 62 minutes with Patrick Mboma whose shot from distance goes wide. Parma’s reply though is swift and on 64 minutes Montano narrowly fails to reach a cross from Ghidini. On 69 minutes a close range shot by Crespo goes just wide. The Argentine goes close again a minute later when after going past two Cagliari defenders he is stopped in his tracks by the lunging goalkeeper. But just when the match seems destined to end 0-0 there is a penalty. On 74 minutes Jason Mayele finds space in the Parma area and Andrea Ghidini hurriedly brings him down giving away a penalty. Mboma beats Guardalben from the penalty spot.

Malesani quickly tries to change things bringing on 17-year-old striker Simone Basso to replace another youth team player Andrea Ghidini. Now with three playing up front the Gialloblu coach sees Parma immediately come close when on 81 minutes substitute Basso’s diving header goes narrowly over the bar. On 90 minutes Crespo has Parma’s last chance which once again is too high. It finishes 1-0 and the game ends up being decided by a penalty.

CAGLIARI-PARMA 1-0
Goalscorer: Mboma 75(pen)

PARMA (3-5-2): Guardalben, Thuram, Torrisi, Fabio Cannavaro, Serena, Bolano, Walem, Breda, Ghidini (Basso 80), Crespo, Montano. Coach: Malesani
CAGLIARI (3-5-2): Scarpi, Lopez, Villa, Grassadonia, Mayele (Modesto 76), Berretta, O’Neill (Cavezzi 30), Macellari (Sulcis 56), De Patre, Mboma, Oliveira
Coach: Ulivieri

Cautions: Lopez 18, Berretta 53, Grassadonia 54, Ghidini 80, Cavezzi 90
Dismissals: ---
REFEREES: Bolognino & Bonfrisco
LINESMEN: Massaro & Ceniccola

Wednesday 15th December 1999

Parma 2 Cagliari 2 (2-3 on aggregate)

	This goal had to be seen to be believed!

PARMA 2
Benarrivo 11'
Walem 64'

CAGLIARI 2
M'boma 32'
O'Neill 42'
It had been raining non-stop for twelve hours and the groundsmen at the Tardini were keeping their fingers crossed in the hope that the turf would hold out. In fact the best preserved part of the pitch was the newly laid section, though the continuing rain kept all on tenterhooks. Parma went out with their new “Stream” Coppa Italia sponsor on their shirts and played host to two referees (this time Bolognino and Strazzera) for the first time. This was the second time this season that Parma and Cagliari went head-to-head at the Tardini, the last time Parma went off 3-1 winners. But what counted this evening was the result from the Sant’Elia a fortnight earlier where Parma’s outfit, decimated by injuries, lost 1-0 to a penalty from Mboma. That goal, after the 90 minutes, would feel like a noose around their necks.

The match would definitely be an uphill affair, though everything seemed brighter once Benarrivo put the hosts up in only the 11th minute with a moment of genius. The Parma number 3, rejoining the starting line-up for the first time since a calf strain put him out, saw the keeper Scarpi off his line and lobbed him. This was a goal for the record books. At this point Parma and Cagliari were perfectly balanced with a 1-1 aggregate score… but the worst was still to come.

The home side continued doggedly to attack. In the 17th minute Mario Stanic tried to find Ortega, but the ball was long. In the 20th Fuser let fly from the edge of the area but his shot was high. Finally, in the 23rd, a perfect one-two between Benarrivo and Fuser left the Italian international with only Scarpi to beat, but he was unable to find the space for what surely would have been the knock-out punch. But it was precisely when Parma were looking for their second, the goal which would have led to qualification for the quarter finals, that they were silenced by a goal for the visitors. It was the 34th minute when a long ball forward from O’Neill found Mboma who was alone in front of Micillo who was off his line and this time it was a lob from Cagliari that produced the goal which proved so important.

Just a minute later, Parma had the chance to retake the lead. But Maini was alone in the box, and his header found no way through Scarpi’s safe hands in the Cagliari goal. Within seconds, Scarpi was again called into action, this time to keep out a Michele Serena shot. As time went on, even Lilian Thuram pushed up in a bid to break through the visitors’ defence, but his shot went out for a corner. You couldn’t help feeling that it wasn’t to be Parma’s night. This impression was concretised moments before the teams went off for half-time when Fabian O’Neill unleashed a superb right-footed shot that gave Davide Micillo no chance.

Alberto Malesani must have been glad to hear the half-time whistle. Indeed, he took advantage of the break to make two changes, bringing on Hernan Crespo and Raffaele Longo. The effect was immediate and positive. Four minutes into the second period, Parma had a further chance on goal, this time Thuram crossing for Mario Stanic. But once again a heroic Scarpi kept his attempt out. It was Stanic again who threatened minutes later. Put through in the area by Johan Walem, only a slip on this very heavy pitch impeded him. Sadly, Ariel Ortega’s follow-up missed the mark by a hair’s breadth. And so the home side’s assault on the Cagliari goal continued, as unrelenting as the rain which poured down all night on the Tardini stadium.

The Gialloblù fought back, but never convinced. With half-an-hour remaining, Walem gave Parma fans everywhere cause to hope with a stunning equaliser from a free-kick. At 2-2, two more goals were needed to overcome the deficit from the first leg and Cagliari’s advantage of having bagged two away goals. But as time wore on and the pitch became even heavier, it was clear this was not going to be Parma’s night. Now the Gialloblù are out of the Coppa Italia; Alberto Malesani won’t be wanting his side to make the same mistake in the League and the UEFA Cup.

Parma (3-5-2): Micillo 6,5, Thuram 6, Torrisi 5,5, F. Cannavaro 5, Benarrivo 6, Fuser 6 (1' St Crespo 6), Walem 6, Maini 4 (1' St Longo Sv, 13' Breda 6), Serena 6, Stanic 5,5, Ortega 6. (36 Filosa, 6 Lassissi, 28 P.Cannavaro, 24 Vanoli). Allenatore Alberto Malesani 6.
Cagliari (3-5-2): Scarpi 6, Lopez 6, Villa 6,5, Zebina 6,5, Sulcis 5,5 (26' St Abeijon Sv), Modesto 6, De Patre 5,5 (7' St Diliso 6), O'neill 7, Macellari 6, Mboma 7 (1' St Morfeo 6), Oliveira 6,5. (12 Franzone, 19 Ametrano, 21 Corradi, 27 Carrus). Allenatore Renzo Ulivieri 7.
Arbitri: Bolognino di Milano 5,5 e Strazzera di Trapani 6.
Reti: nel Pt 11' Benarrivo, 33' Mboma, 42' O'neill; nel St 19' Walem.
Angoli: 8-0 per il Parma.
Ammoniti: Diliso e Cannavaro per gioco falloso, Scarpi per comportamento non regolamentare, Benarrivo per proteste.
Spettatori: 2.444 per un incasso di 17.435.000 lire

16/12/99 14:04:23