Roma resume Serie A advance
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Article summary
Júlio Baptista struck twice as AS Roma returned to winning ways in Serie A with a 2-0 victory against UC Sampdoria at the Stadio Olimpico, while Juventus went one better at home to Calcio Catania in the Coppa Italia.
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Júlio Baptista struck twice as AS Roma returned to winning ways in Serie A with a 2-0 victory against UC Sampdoria, while Juventus went one better at home to Calcio Catania in the Coppa Italia.
New high
Following a run of eight successive wins in all competitions, Roma's renaissance seemed to have stalled after taking just a point from their last two matches. Yet they began in confident mood at home to Sampdoria in a fixture abandoned because of torrential rain in October, going ahead midway through the first half when Júlio Baptista ended a two-month wait for a goal with a tremendous free-kick. Eight minutes after the restart he added another to secure a win that takes Roma up to a season high of eighth.
Juve triumph
Roma's success saw Catania drop to tenth, and it proved a miserable night all round for the Sicilian outfit as they were knocked out of the Coppa Italia by Juventus. Marco Marchionni put the hosts on course for the quarter-finals after just four minutes and second-half strikes from Sebastian Giovinco and Alessandro Del Piero sealed a 3-0 victory for the dominant Bianconeri.
