BATISTUTA HERO AND VILLAIN
The Argentine international scored his first goal of the campaign with a blistering free kick from twenty yards, but 15 minutes from time he tarnished a wonderful night for the champions when he was sent off for elbowing Juventus defender Michele Paramatti.
A dismissal had been on the cards in a game blighted by niggling fouls that had referee Graziano Cesare regularly reaching for his whistle and notebook. Six Roma players saw yellow whilst Juventus managed to collect two cards.
The ugly side of the game did at least liven a match short on the quality expected of the two sides considered Italy's finest.
Juventus started the brighter but Roma's 4-5-1 formation kept the Juventus forwards frustrated and it was Roma who always seemed the most likely to break through.
Batistuta and Francesco Totti each tested the reflexes of Gianluigi Buffon before the former opened the scoring.
The second period saw little change to the swing of the tie. Juventus pushed forward but diligent Roma defending continued to frustrate and shortly after Batistuta's dismissal Buffon had to pull off a save at full stretch to keep the Giallorossi from doubling their lead.
David Trezeguet did get the ball in the net but the lineman's flag denied the Frenchman. Vincenza Montella suffered the same fate at the other end.
Despite the additional man in the final quarter of hour Juventus were lacklustre and Roma grabbed a deserved second deep into injury time through Marcos Assuncao.
The result lifts the reigning Scudetto champions up to sixth in the table, while Juventus slip off the top of the table on goal difference after the result.
Milan take over on top ahead of their game on Sunday away to Perugia.
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Juventus 0 Roma 2
