Parma 0 : 0 Juventus - Juve thwarted by Parma

Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012 by PA

Juventus missed the chance to return to the top of the Serie A standings after being held to a goalless draw in a rescheduled clash against Parma.

Juve dominated in terms of opportunities but could not find a way through and they remain in second spot, a point behind AC Milan, albeit still with a game in hand on the pacesetters.

Antonio Conte's men were well-rested coming into the match - which was postponed last month due to bad weather in Parma - as their fixture against Bologna on Sunday also fell foul of the adverse conditions in Italy.

However, while Juve were taking an enforced break at the weekend, Milan moved two points clear at the summit with a 2-1 win at fourth-placed Udinese, and the Turin giants would have been desperate to respond with a victory.

It was not to be though, despite creating a number of decent chances at the Ennio Tardini stadium,

It was actually mid-table Parma who threatened first inside the opening two minutes but McDonald Mariga's weak shot was easily saved by Gianluigi Buffon, and after that it was largely all Juve.

In the fourth minute Giorgio Chiellini saw his header from Andrea Pirlo's free-kick hit the post, Pirlo then flashed another dead-ball effort just inches wide before Mirko Vucinic drew a parry out of Parma goalkeeper Nicola Pavarini with a low shot from outside the box.

It was a similar story in the second half with the visitors continuing to look the more likely scorers.

After the Parma strikeforce had failed to make the most of a dangerous Jonathan Biabiany cross, Marcelo Estigarribia spurned an opportunity for Juve before Pavarini again denied Vucinic with a superb stop from a close-range shot.

Vucinic fired another opening wide in the 75th minute as Juve continued to push for a breakthrough.

The visitors fashioned two more good opportunities in the final nine minutes but Pavarini performed more heroics to keep out efforts from Pirlo and Juve substitute Emanuele Giaccherini as the match finished goalless.