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On Sunday, the remaining 28th round matches were played in the Italian championship. Climbing to fourth place, taking advantage of a draw between "Roma" and "Inter" and ending the capital club's record-breaking winning streak, the "Fiorentina" team seized victory in the Tuscan derby in the last minutes.
In the most attention-grabbing matches of the round, "Roma" played a 1-1 draw at home with "Inter" club. The Milan club escaped defeat thanks to a goal by Marco Materazzi at the end of the match.
The match started with a dangerous attack from "Inter," but the ball struck by Alvaro Recoba did not hit the target. Soon after, at the other end of the field, Francesco Toldo saved the ball struck by Rodrigo Taddei during a penalty kick. However, "Inter" goalkeeper was powerless a few minutes later, as the same Rodrigo Taddei received the ball completely unmarked in front of the goal and led his team forward.
The second half began with "Inter" defender Ivan Cordoba's complaints to the referee for a penalty committed by "Roma" defender Philippe Mexes in the home team's penalty area, but the referee did not award a penalty kick. Towards the end of the half, "Inter" defender Esteban Cambiasso struck dangerously at the goal, but the "Roma" goalkeeper played reliably.
The second half started with Alvaro Recoba's attempts to equalize the score, but the "Roma" defense played reliably. During one of the home team's attacks, the defender sent a long pass forward, and the ball reached the Brazilian Amantino Mancini, but his shot went slightly over the crossbar.
In the 67th minute, "Inter" had the best opportunity in the match so far, when Obafemi Martins headed the ball towards goal from the goal line, which was cleared by the "Roma" defender. The visitors started actively attacking the opponents' goal in the final moments of the match and were rewarded - after a cross from Luis Figo, the high "Inter" defender Marco Materazzi scored a header.
The "Fiorentina" team at home managed to defeat the "Siena" club in the Tuscan derby in the final moments of the match - the match ended with a score of 2-1.
The response started with a goal by the hosts. Stefano Fiore dribbled past the visitors' defender and sent his cross into the goal, where the most productive "Serie A" player Luca Toni scored. However, after twelve minutes, "Siena" responded with a goal - the visitors' striker Enrico Chiesa, taking advantage of an error by the opponents' defender, struck at goal, and although the "Fiorentina" goalkeeper managed to block the shot, the ball reached another "Siena" forward Simone Vergassola, who just had to send the ball into the unguarded goal.
Nevertheless, it was already a goal scored in extra time that determined the victory for the Florence team. During a penalty kick, the "Fiorentina" players struck several times at the goal, all attempts were successfully repelled by the visitors' goalkeeper, but it wasn't until the ball reached Giampaolo Pazzini, who successfully defeated the goalkeeper and secured an important victory.
In other matches in Verona between the neighboring teams in the league table, "Chievo" and "Lazio" recorded a productive 2-2 draw. In the 32nd minute, "Lazio" broke through when Stefano Mauri scored a goal with his head after a cross from Luciano Zauri. However, the hosts turned the game around in the first half. Simone Tiribocchi scored two goals and "Chievo" took the lead. However, in the 67th minute, "Lazio" striker Igli Tare was brought down in the penalty area, and the referee awarded a penalty kick to the hosts, which Massimo Oddo successfully converted.
"Lecce" regained hope for survival in the league with an unexpected 2-0 victory at home against the "Palermo" club. The victory was determined by two second-half goals scored by Mirko Vucinic and Guillermo Giacomazzi.
The "Udinese" club unbelievably wasted the opportunity to win at home against "Ascoli". The hosts took the lead from the 77th minute and six minutes later, "Ascoli" player Roberto Guana received a red card, but the hosts ruined it in their penalty area when they brought down "Ascoli" forward Maurizio Domizzi, and the referee awarded a penalty kick, which M. Domizzi converted himself and leveled the score.
The remaining three matches of this round ended with minimal away victories by a score of 1-0. "Cagliari" defeated the "Livorno" team, "Parma" defeated the "Messina" club, and "Reggina" celebrated a victory against "Treviso".
Match statistics for Sunday:
1 - 1 9` [1 - 0] Rodrigo Taddei 89` [1 - 1] Marco Materazzi
2 - 1 3` [1 - 0] Luca Toni 15` [1 - 1] Simone Vergassola 90` [2 - 1] Giampaolo Pazzini
2 - 2 32` [0 - 1] Stefano Mauri 42` [1 - 1] Simone Tiribocchi 45` [2 - 1] Simone Tiribocchi 67` [2 - 2] Massimo Oddo (11m.)
2 - 0 63` [1 - 0] Mirko Vucinic 71` [2 - 0] Guillermo Giacomazzi
1 - 1 77` [1 - 0] Antonio Di Natale 85` [1 - 1] Maurizio Domizzi (11m.)
83` Roberto Guana ("Ascoli") sent off
0 - 1 77` [0 - 1] David Suazo
0 - 1 84` [0 - 1] Mark Bresciano
0 - 1 90` [0 - 1] Nicola Amoruso
Top scorers of the championship: (Place, player, goals)
1. Luca Toni ("Fiorentina") - 23; 2. David Trezeguet ("Juventus") - 18; 3. Andriy Shevchenko ("Milan") - 16; 4-5. Francesco Totti ("Roma") - 15; Alberto Gilardino ("Milan") - 15; 6-7. Cristiano Lucarelli ("Livorno") - 14; David Suazo ("Cagliari") - 14; 8. Francesco Tavano ("Empoli") - 13; 9. Adriano ("Inter") - 12.
League table:
