Del Piero double

Juventus beats Parma 2-1 for Supercup in Libya

TRIPOLI (Reuters) -- Alessandro Del Piero struck twice to give Juventus a 2-1 Italian Supercup win over Parma in a game played in the Libyan capital on Sunday.

Del Piero had given Juventus a first-half lead and then grabbed the winner in the 74th minute after Marco Di Vaio had pulled Parma level.

Although the Supercup is the traditional season-opener between last season's Serie A champions and the domestic cup winners it was a far from traditional event this time.

A row over television rights means Serie A does not get under way for another three weeks, but far more unusual was the venue.

Juventus have close links with Tripoli as the Libyan Arab Foreign Investment Company (LAFICO) owns a 7.5 percent share in the club.

The two teams had accepted an offer from Al-Saadi Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Muammar, to play the game in the North African country.

Despite the unfamiliar surroundings and a bumpy, sandy pitch, the game, watched by Al-Saadi and FIFA president Sepp Blatter, was an entertaining affair.

Parma's Japanese international Hidetoshi Nakata went close to an opener in the 22nd minute with a powerful drive which was well saved by Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon.

But Del Piero put the Italian champions ahead in the 37th minute, firing home after a delightful lay-off from Chilean striker Marcelo Salas.

Parma enjoyed some intense pressure after the break with Di Vaio twice going close.

First the pacey striker drove just wide and then in the 63rd minute he crashed a thundering drive against the underside of the bar.

But within a minute Di Vaio had given Parma a deserved equaliser with a fine solo goal, beating Buffon after a lively run inside.

Nine minutes later though, Juventus restored their lead when substitute Marcelo Zalayeta burst down the right flank and slipped the ball across to Del Piero who converted at the near post.

Only a well-timed tackle, though, from Juve defender Mark Iuliano stopped a hugely impressive Di Vaio from a potential equaliser six minutes from the end.

Fans get a share of Libya's soccer diplomacy

TRIPOLI (Reuters) -- Libya, isolated from the international community for over a decade, continued its attempt to create a new image through soccer by hosting the curtain-raiser to the Italian season on Sunday.

Italian champions Juventus beat Cup winners Parma 2-1 in the annual pre-season Supercup played on a bumpy and sandy pitch in the North African state after the two clubs accepted an offer to host the game from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Al-Saadi.

The move was the latest in a series of attempts by Libya, who were under United Nations sanctions until three years ago, to gain acceptance through an increased involvement in the world's most popular sport.

Sanctions were imposed over the 1988 Lockerbie airline bombing which killed 270 people and suspended only after Gaddafi handed over two Libyan suspects for trial in 1999.

A Libyan state company owns shares in Juventus while there are talks aimed at a possible investment in Greek football and a proposed bid to host the World Cup finals.

While most of the Libyan attempts to gain a foothold in the game have so far been outside the country, Sunday's match offered many ordinary Libyans a chance to see top class football in their capital - and they lapped it up with their noisy support adding some atmosphere to what is usually a low-key match.

Enthusiastic fans

Although the anticipated full-house did not materialize, the June 11th stadium was two thirds full, with the crowd dominated by enthusiastic young fans, many of them decked out in Italian replica shirts.

In the director's box, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, who is the public face of Libya's 'soccer diplomacy', was flanked by Sepp Blatter, president of soccer's world governing body FIFA, and the head of the Italian Football League Adriano Galliani

Libya have announced they intend to make an ambitious bid to host the 2010 World Cup finals which Blatter has suggested may well be held in Africa.

Al-Saadi is well-known in Italy through his involvement in the Libyan investment firm LAFICO's 7.5 percent stake in Turin club Juventus.

A professional footballer himself, Al-Saadi has even trained with Juventus.

But while the stadium bore two giant 'Juve' flags behind each goal, the support was by no means uniformly behind Gaddafi's favourite team.

Al-Saadi plays for Libyan first division team Al-Ittihad and fans of their Tripoli rivals Ahly opted to support Parma rather than the favoured squad of their rivals.

Indeed when Marco Di Vaio struck Parma's equalizer in the 64th minute, canceling out Alessandro Del Piero's opening goal it was a clear a majority of fans in the stands were backing Parma.

Long-awaited event

Nonetheless, after Del Piero scored the winner in the 73rd minute the stadium gave warm applause to both teams at the close of what had been a long awaited day in Tripoli.

Throughout Sunday fans gathered across the city to discuss the prospects for the match over potent cups of Arabic coffee while outside Juve's hotel, the many members of the security services turned a blind eye to a five-a-side game taking place among kids on an under-used car park.

While it is clear that football is a way for the Libyans to change their image in Europe, there is no doubt that there is huge interest in the game among locals.

Judging from the streets, the number one fashion item for Libyan youth is a replica soccer top - and it clearly has to be Italian.

Even in the run-down dusty streets in Tripoli's poorer areas, it was not difficult to spot AC Milan and Inter Milan shirts, while adults display an impressive knowledge of the international game.

It was a remarkable day for those fans on Sunday made even more special for the two who won a raffle draw of ticket stubs for two brand new Mercedes.

Like top Italian football teams, the German car is a sight rarely seen in Tripoli.

Reggina held to goalless draw in qualifying match

Reggina's forward line, led by newly signed Japanese star Shunsuke Nakamura, backfired in the home match against Messina, following a convincing 3-0 win in the previous match against Taranto.

Nakamura, who had scored one goal in Taranto and others in pre-season friendlies, had an unimpressive performance in front of 24,000 fans and an impressive number of Japanese media at Granillo stadium in Reggio Calabria, southern Italy.

The Sept. 11 match between Reggina and Palermo will decide the team advancing in the tournament as Group Eight winner.

The two teams are tied atop the group standings with four points after two matches.

Empoli, the only other Serie A team in the qualifying round, defeated Tuscan rival Livorno 2-1 to keep its qualifying hopes alive.

Napoli, the powerhouse which once fielded Diego Maradona and is now relegated to the Serie B, played to a 1-1 draw against Salernitana to hold first place in Group Six, ahead of its last qualifier against Ternana.

Napoli's goal was netted by Swiss midfielder David Sesa.

Eight Serie A teams will begin first round action in the Italian Cup on Oct. 24 and Nov. 6.

The big guns such as Juventus, AS Roma, AC Milan and Inter Milan have been given byes to second round matches scheduled Dec. 12-18.

 

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