From: rgty_mrw@waikato.ac.nz (Mark Willcock)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Europe : Nov 7-8 Weekend misc
Date: 10 Nov 92 09:53:25 +1300
Organization: Admin Systems - Registry

LONDON, Nov 9, - Marco van Basten, who blew away Napoli almost single
handed in a four-goal spree, is revelling more than ever in playing for
unstoppable AC Milan.
The Dutchman, with a wind of fortune blowing strongly at his back, became the
league's top scorer after taking his season's goal tally to 12 and his all-time
Italian league total to 89 in Sunday's 5-1 victory over Napoli.
His four goals ensured the Italian champions continued their unbeaten streak
and left Van Basten and the Italian press excitedly recounting the feast.
"The first one was a good goal, the second swift, the third sweet and that
fourth cunning," said Van Basten.
The Gazzetta Dello Sport newspaper proclaimed Van Basten and Milan as beauties.
"This is a favourable period for me," said Van Basten. "The wind is in my
favour, Milan are playing well and that's my wind. It blows me along and I
score."
Milan remain two points clear of Torino, who beat Lazio in Rome 2-1 thanks to
an 88th minute own goal by Angelo Gregucci.
But Turin's more illustrious club, Juventus, showed they were gearing up for
the monumental task of toppling Milan from their perch with an equally
impressive 5-1 drubbing of Udinese in which Roberto Baggio also scored four
times.
"They (Milan) don't even give you the time to be pleased with yourself but they
come back at you with a result like that," Baggio said after hearing the Milan
score.
"Still, I'm very pleased even if I know that in three days time these four
goals won't matter a bit. Soccer doesn't have a memory."
Real Madrid and Barcelona wound up the pressure on surprise Spanish league
leaders Deportivo Coruna with victories that took them within one point of the
Galician team at the weekend.
Real beat Espanol 3-1, with strikers Emilio Butragueno and Chilean Ivan
Zamorano in dazzling form, and Barcelona won 2-1 over Athletic Bilbao while
Deportivo drew 1-1 at Albacete.
Real coach Benito Floro was impressed with his side's performance. "We looked
fabulous in the first half," he said.
Double-scorer Zamorano agreed. "It was one of the matches where we created the
most chances...Now we're just waiting for Deportivo to go."
But "SuperDepo", as the sporting press dubbed the team from the northwestern
fishing port who have already beaten both Real and Barcelona, are not ready to
give up their lead yet.
They battled hard to snatch a draw with a goal 10 minutes from time and coach
Arsenio Iglesias said: "We never turned our back on victory. We deserved to win
because we tried harder."
Surprise French leaders Nantes also showed no sign of faltering despite
dropping a home point against Sochaux in a 1-1 draw, impressing observers with
their dynamic, attacking style.
Even Sochaux trainer Sylvester Takac agreed his team were lucky. "I have a lot
of admiration for Nantes," he said. "We haven't been so outplayed by another
team all season. If they'd scored a second, it would have been no robbery."
The Canaries stayed top because chasers Paris St Germain, one point behind,
also drew 1-1 away to Le Havre.
Ajax Amsterdam coach Louis van Gaal was left trying to negotiate a U-turn
without losing too much face on Monday after his side were saved from a
demoralising home defeat by two players he placed on the transfer list.
International winger Bryan Roy set up striker Ron Willems' headed equaliser
just before time in the 2-2 draw with MVV Maastricht, who were playing with 10
men after Roger Reijners was sent off.
Roy was put up for sale in September after Van Gaal said he did not fit into
the team.
But on Monday Van Gaal, whose side trail leaders PSV Eindhoven by seven points,
was contemplating including him from the start in next week's highly-charged
clash against arch-rivals Feyenoord Rotterdam.
"I have to sleep on it because it would mean dropping (Edgar) Davids who had
played well until the MVV match," Van Gaal said.
Davids, the 17-year-old winger who replaced Roy, was substituted on Sunday
after a disappointing display.  
-- 
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Mark Willcock  M.Willcock@waikato.ac.nz|"As the wise old saying has it, you can
University of Waikato                  |take a horse to the water, but you can't
Hamilton, New Zealand.                 |make it play Santa Claus."
"Disclaimer ? What'd I say ?"          |                        - Bertie Wooster
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