DECEMBER 2000 SPORT HEADLINES

Tuesday, January 30, 2001 - Web posted at 9:33:38 AM GMT

Inzaghi hat-trick keeps Juve on Roma's tail

MILAN - Filippo Inzaghi grabbed a hat-trick for Juventus as the Turin club kept up the pressure on Serie A leaders Roma with a 4-0 home win over Vicenza on Sunday.

Roma remain three points clear of Juve after comfortably beating Napoli 3-0 with goals from Marco Delvecchio, Francesco Totti and Gabriel Batistuta.

Lazio consolidated in third place as Argentine Hernan Crespo scored twice in their impressive 4-1 win away to Fiorentina, who slipped one spot to fifth.

Atalanta took over fourth spot after ending a goal drought with a 4-2 away victory over Udinese.

Parma beat Verona 2-0, Inter won 1-0 at home to Bari but AC Milan were held to a 1-1 draw with lowly Brescia.

Inzaghi opened the scoring for Juve in the eighth minute by taking advantage of a mix-up in the Vicenza defence, then provided a cross that set up a simple conversion for Dutchman Edgar Davids 14 minutes later.

Four minutes before the break, Inzaghi made it 3-0 by chasing on to a long ball and rounding Vicenza 'keeper Giorgio Sterchele before slotting into the unguarded goal.

Frenchman Zinedine Zidane set up the fourth with a run down the left and low cross which Inzaghi tapped home from close range.

A Delvecchio header got Roma on their way in the 21st minute and then Totti doubled the advantage with a fine shot from the edge of the penalty area six minutes before the break.

Batistuta added the third five minutes from the end with his 11th goal this season.

Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved opened the scoring for Lazio with a powerful volley in the 33rd minute and then after the break Argentine Hernan Crespo made it two with a fine solo goal.

Crespo added a third in the 74th minute before Fiorentina restored some respectability with an Enrico Chiesa penalty eight minutes from time.

But Chilean Marcelo Salas completed the rout with a goal five minutes from the end, condemning Fiorentina to their first defeat in eight games.

Striker Nicola Ventola and midfielder Domenico Morfeo hit two goals each as Atalanta managed to score for the first time in four matches.

Defender Andrea Sottil headed home in the 35th minute and Mohammed Gargo added a second in the 76th minute for home side Udinese.

AC Milan, who missed a great chance to join the chasing pack, took the lead in the 26th minute when Andriy Shevchenko headed down a Demetrio Albertini cross and Oliver Bierhoff converted from close range.

But a rare error from Milan captain Paolo Maldini two minutes after the break gifted Brescia a point.

His long back pass was intercepted by Brescia striker Dario Hubner, who burst into the box and drove past Milan 'keeper Christian Abbiati.

Parma recorded their first win under coach Arrigo Sacchi, beating Verona 2-0 with striker Marco Di Vaio getting both goals.

Adrian Mutu missed a penalty for Verona.

Christian Vieri grabbed the crucial goal for Inter Milan in their 1-0 win over bottom club Bari, slotting into an empty net after a deflected shot from Alvaro Recoba landed fortuitously at his feet.

- Nampa-Reuters

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