Juventus relinquishes lead
Draw with Udinese allows Fiorentina to move on top

November 08, 1998
CNN/SI

ROME -- Juventus of Turin failed to protect a two-goal lead against Udinese on Sunday and lost its lead in the Italian League standings to Fiorentina.

The two-time defending champion allowed Udinese's Argentine striker Roberto Sosa, a substitute, to score in the third minute of injury time and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. That result dropped Juventus into second place behind Fiorentina (...)

(...) The match at Udinese started positively enough for Juventus, but ended in disaster.

Zinedine Zidane, France's World Cup hero, hit the target for the first time this season to give Juve the lead one minute before halftime and Filippo Inzaghi made it 2-0 in the 49th. But midfielder Jonathan Bachini headed in Belgian winger Johan Walem's cross in the 65th and Sosa turned home Brazilian striker Marcio Amoroso's assist in the dying seconds to complete the rally.

Adding injury to insult, Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the game with what appeared to be a knee injury. (...)

(...) Udinese 2, Juventus 2

At Udine, like both of his goals in France's final win over Brazil in July, Zidane tallied with a header, squeezing defender Alessandro Birindelli's cross between goalkeeper Luigi Turci and the near post from close range. Inzaghi then scored his fifth goal of the season by deflecting in a shot by teammate Alessio Tacchinardi.

But while Juve's weak point so far has been offense, this time its defense let the club down, allowing both Bachini and Sosa to break free for their goals. Udinese is 2-4-2.
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