Lazio leave Juventus feeling down and out

ITALIAN ROUND-UP

One half of Glasgow will have taken heart from yesterday's result from Rome where Juventus, the defending champions, suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat against third-placed Lazio.

Lazio's win at the Olympic Stadium against Wednesday's Champions' League visitors to Rangers came thanks to two goals from Pierluigi Casiraghi and one apiece from Giuseppe Signori and Roberto Rambaudi. It was Juve's second defeat in less than a week after Wednesday's Italian Cup exit at Atalanta.

Lazio lost their goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani with a knee injury, sustained in a diving save at the feet of Fabrizio Ravanelli after 25 minutes but that seemed to inspire them to play the best football of the match.

After 40 minutes Signori made amends for an earlier missed chance, unleashing a first-time shot from the edge of the area which flew into the top corner for the striker's fifth goal of the season.

On the stroke of half-time, Casiraghi put the home side two up in controversial fashion. His shot was cleared but the linesman ruled the ball had crossed the line.

In the second half, Lazio, still unbeaten in the league, scored on the break through Rambaudi and Casiraghi.

"A completely negative performance," Marcello Lippi, the Juventus manager, said. "We looked down and out."

Parma continued their fine start to the season, but it took a goal in injury time by Filippo Inzaghi to give them a 3-2 victory over Piacenza. Parma were top of the league for a few hours but Milan's 1-1 draw at Internazionale last night put them level on points but ahead on goal difference.

Fiorentina's 3-2 home win over Bari moved them into a share of fourth place with Napoli, held to a scoreless draw by Cremonese.