Gabriel Batistuta volleyed home a late wonder goal to sink his former club Fiorentina 1-0 at the Olympic Stadium yesterday and lift his new employers AS Roma three points clear of the chasing pack at the top of the Italian first division.
Roma's Argentinean striker, who promptly burst into tears and refused to celebrate his goal out of respect to his former club, had been well shackled by his former team-mates for 82 minutes before letting fly with his telling strike.
Now the capital club are three points clear of the division's only remaining unbeaten side Atalanta whose 1-0 home win over Lecce 24 hours earlier had briefly lifted them level on points. Batistuta, meanwhile, tops the divisional goalscoring charts with nine goals.
However, events on the field in Italy were overshadowed by crowd violence at Reggio Calabria by Reggina fans. That match was abandoned by referee Pierluigi Collina with six minutes remaining with Brescia 3-0 ahead.
The Olympic Stadium clash, however, showed the more acceptable side of football supporters with the visiting Fiorentina fans giving a warm reception to their former idol before the kick-off.
Of the clubs expected to challenge for the title 10-man defending champions Lazio were undone by Parma who triumphed 2-0.
But it was a far better day for Juventus who justified their coach Carlo Ancelotti's boast that his side would be in the title hunt right down to the wire with a 2-1 home victory over Verona with goals from French pair David Trezeguet and Zinedine Zidane.
Defending champions Lazio were rocked back on their heels at Parma with their hosts taking an early advantage.
Portuguese midfielder Sergio Conceicao scored against his former employers, having been a makeweight in the deal that took Argentinean Hernan Crespo to Lazio in the summer.
Inter Milan were under pressure against Vicenza and were lucky not to concede a goal when Sierra Leone international Mohamed Kallon had a goal unfairly chalked off for offside.
The Milan outfit also survived the late sending-off of Slovak midfielder Vratislav Gresko for a 0-0 draw.
In Spain, the race for the Primera Liga continued as Valencia retained their lead at the top with a convincing 2-0 home victory over Oviedo, however the Catalan side are still being chased by champions Deportivo La Coruna who won 1-0 at home against Celta vigo.
That leaves both sides on 24 points apiece from 12 games, with the champions sitting a close second due to a three-point goal difference.
Real Madrid, sitting third, had their home match against Real Zaragoza postponed due to the European champions' date with destiny tomorrow night as they face Libertadores Cup champions Boca Juniors of Argentina in the final of the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo.
Barcelona, meanwhile, without injured 'keeper Francesc Arnau, avoided what could have been a potentially embarrassing result as they fired two unanswered goals past basement boys Osasuna.
