Aston Villa 4 Juventus 3 - Bill Howell's pre-season verdict
Aug 3 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
If Del Piero was the villain, then French international Trezeguet was also guilty for missing the game’s one good chance when he blazed over the crossbar from close range midway through the second half.
Trezeguet should have sealed it when he rounded the last defender but saw Guzan produce one of a number of high class saves, including an instinctive reflex save from Cristiano Zanetti with his leg.
Villa recovered from a shaky start to dominate the last 20 minutes of the first half.
Juventus started like a bullet from a gun with Sebastian Giovinco going close.
Felipe Melo sent a fizzing shot just wide from 25 yards but come the half-way point Villa stepped up a gear and Juve looked decidedly disinterested ,although Vincenzo Iaqinuta went close with a header that bounced down and over the crossbar.
Melo was booked for a foul on Young who soon forced Gianluigi Buffon into a decent low save with a shot that was too hot to hold at the first attempt after good work from Carew.
Carew let fly with a cracking low free-kick that deflected narrowly wide after another foul on Young.
Five minutes before the break Marc Albrighton’s powerful shot was brilliantly saved by Buffon after Carew’s shot had rebounded his way. Then from Young’s free-kick into the six-yard box Carew headed over the crossbar. Chances were few and far between with a feeling that it would take something special to open up either of the defences. Who’d have thought that Lichaj, Curtis Davies, Cuellar and Nicky Shorey would form an impregnable barrier?
Juventus then appeared to wake up. Two chances went begging for Iaquinta.
Zanetti found the striker with a wonderful ball and Iaquinta brought it down with an exquisite touch only for Davies to steal it off his toes. Back came Villa and a terrific strike by Bannan from 30 yards whistled just wide after a mistake by Giorgio Chiellini.
Guzan produced another superb save to deny Jonathan Zebina, then Trezeguet wasted a chance by shooting weakly at the goalkeeper.
It seemed that Juventus were doing everything but score when Iaquinta lobbed Guzan but cleared the crossbar.
Herd replaced Carew in extra-time with Villa covering every blade of grass to keep the Italians at bay but also threatening on the counter attack.
Nigel Reo-Coker took advantage of a woeful clearance from Chiellini but blazed wide when well set, then Bannan almost managed to play Davies in on goal but his dangerous ball was deflected behind.
Then in the final action of the first period of extra-time, Herd headed Albrighton’s right-wing centre over the crossbar in what was probably Villa’s best chance.
It mattered not. The trophy was heading to the Midlands.
VILLA (4-4-2): Guzan; Lichaj-booked 89, Davies, Cuellar, Shorey (Lowry,74); Albrighton, Reo-Coker, Sidwell-booked, A Young; Carew (Herd,91), Weimann (Bannan,74). Not used: Friedel, Parish, Hofbauer, Collins, Gardner.
JUVENTUS (4-3-2-1): Buffon; Zebina, Legrottaglie, Chiellini-booked, Molinaro (Grygera,40); Camoranesi (Del Piero,90), Melo (booked 27), Marchisio (Zanetti,56); Giovinco (Amauri,91), Iaquinta; Trezeguet. Not used: Cannavaro, Salihamidzic, Chimenti, Manninger, Marrone, Ariaudo, Tiago, Immobile.
