Cesena 2 - 2 Juventus - Cesena battle back for point

Posted Saturday, March 12, 2011 by PA

Cesena recovered from two goals down to extend their unbeaten streak to four matches with a 2-2 draw against 10-man Juventus.

Two goals from Alessandro Matri seemed to have put an end to Juve's recent results' crisis, but Luis Jimenez's penalty and a red card for Marco Motta in the final few minutes of the first half gave Cesena hope.

Marco Parolo equalised with 10 minutes to go as Cesena got the least they deserved with a point at the Stadio Dino Manucci.

Juventus rarely lose three games in a row as they had before this game and they clearly did not want to lose a fourth as they took to the field with a very positive attitude.

Matri had a goal rightly ruled out for offside in the ninth minute, but there was no doubts about his opener 10 minutes later.

Alessandro Del Piero picked up the ball on the halfway line and carried it forwards to the edge of the penalty area before touching it through to Matri who, despite moving a bit wide of goal, was able to pull his shot into the opposite bottom corner.

Cesena should have levelled in the 27th minute when Giaccherini went through on goal.

His first shot came back off the inside of the post, leaving him with a simple tap-in, but he somehow managed to scoop the ball high and wide from three yards out.

It looked like it would be a costly miss when Matri doubled Juve's advantage in the 35th minute.

He set up Del Piero, whose shot cannoned back off the post to Matri, who managed to direct it back inside the post with a header as he was falling backwards with Steve von Bergen unable to clear the ball off the line.

Cesena were given a lifeline in the 41st minute when Gianluigi Buffon gave away a penalty for a foul on Parolo.

The Juve goalkeeper was lucky to be only shown the yellow card before Jimenez sent him the wrong way from the spot.

Almost realising his error in not showing Buffon a red card, referee Mauro Bergonzi showed Motta a harsh second yellow card to reduce Juve to 10 men just before half-time.

Cesena sensed their chance to get something out of the game, but they had not counted on the heroics of Buffon.

He first denied Giuseppe Colucci before also keeping out Jimenez as it seemed the ball just would not go in for Cesena.

He also kept Dominique Malonga's shot out in the 76th minute, but could do nothing about Parolo's finely-placed shot 10 minutes from time which earned Cesena a point.