Roma leave Capello dream in balance

Juventus coach Fabio Capello endured a disappointing evening against former club AS Roma as the Bianconeri saw their 16-match unbeaten run ended with a 3-2 defeat in the first leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-final.

Elusive medal
Despite winning a host of Serie A titles with AC Milan, Roma and Juve in an illustrious career, the Coppa Italia has always eluded Capello as a coach. He may have to wait longer to add a winners' medal to the one he earned as a player in 1977, however, after his side were overawed by in-form Roma at the Stadio Delle Alpi. The capital club went into the game on the back of six consecutive victories, a run that has seen Brazilian defender Mancini score five goals, and the 25-year-old made it six in seven just before half-time.

Del Piero hope
Juve fought back but could not find the net before Damiano Tommasi – a lynchpin of Capello's Scudetto-winning side of 2001 – doubled the visitors' lead just after the hour mark. Simone Perrotta soon made it 3-0 to leave the home team with a mountain to climb but captain Alessandro Del Piero scored twice in the final 18 minutes to give the Bianconeri hope ahead of the second leg at the Stadio Olimpico on 1 February.