Birindelli keeps Juve on course for promotion

Juventus' forward Alessandro Del Piero(2ndR) celebrates with teammates (from L) Alessandro Birindelli, Giorgio Chiellini and Matteo Paro in during a match in September 2006. Birindelli kept Juventus on course for a swift return to Serie A by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win at Pescara on Saturday.

Second-half substitute Alessandro Birindelli kept Juventus on course for a swift return to Serie A by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win at Pescara on Saturday.

The 32-year-old defender ended Juve's frustration against a stubborn Pescara side in the 74th minute, losing his marker with ease to steer Raffaele Palladino's right-wing corner in at the near post.

A rare goal for Birindelli saved the blushes of Juventus captain Alessandro Del Piero, whose first-half penalty was saved by Ciro Polito.

Juve's win left them six points clear of Genoa at the top of the Italian second division, with a game in hand over their closest rivals.

Birindelli, who last scored a league goal for Juve in the 1998-99 Serie A season, was overjoyed to break the deadlock.

"I'm so happy to score as the match was very difficult and we were desperate for the three points," he told Sky Sports Italia.

"I was lucky, though. I found myself in the right place at the right time."

Last summer Juventus were demoted from Serie A and given a nine-point handicap in Serie B for their role in the Italian match-fixing scandal.