3 December 2006
 
ASCOLI 2-2

CATANIA
Bjelanovic 12, 39  

Stovini 53
   

Spinesi 79
     
Pantanelli saved Fontana's 11th minute penalty wrongly awarded for handball however
 from the resulting corner he jumped for the ball, caught it then dropped it against
 Bjelanovic and it bounced into the net. Edusei gave Ascoli possession with a lazy pass,
 Bjelanovic rolled it out wide to Zanetti before running into the box and getting on the
 end of the midfielder's cross with a powerful standing header, excellent goal. Pagliuca
 crashed into a Catania player when attacking a cross leaving Stovini to tap-in and
 Spinesi completed the comeback with a free header.

Attendance : 7,000
Assists : n/a, Zanetti, n/a, Millesi
 
 
TORINO 1-0

EMPOLI
Comotto 88  

 
   

 
Torino celebrated their 100 year anniversary (they were founded on 3 December 1906)
 by parading a host of former players including Junior and Denis Law, who has made
 millions as the inventor and inspiration behind those cute little troll dolls and their
 whacky pink hair. The officials did his best to make sure the right side won by
 disallowing a goal from the visitors that clearly crossed the line. Fittingly Comotto won
 the match with a superb strike from distance.

Attendance : 20,000
Assist : De Ascentis
 
 
PARMA 0-0

PALERMO
     
Attendance : 15,000
Assist : n/a
 
 
MESSINA 0-2

SAMPDORIA
   

Franceschini 20
   

Quagliarella 92
   

 
Franceschini gave Samp the lead with a near post header from Olivera's corner. Maggio
 found himself in tons of space down Messina's left, either they were caught on the
 break or the home defence is crap, and he waited for support to arrive before rolling
 a pass into Quagliarella who swept a first time shot into the bottom corner.

Attendance : 9,000
Red Card : Zanchi 85 (Messina)
Assists : Olivera (ck), Maggio
 
 
LIVORNO 0-2

CHIEVO
   

Obinna 72, 78
 
Obinna stripped the ball off Filippini on the half way line and raced upfield, as he
 approached Kuffour on the edge of the box he feigned to shoot before pushing the ball
 in front of the veteran then made the much sought after Amelia look silly with a quick
 left foot shoot from a tight angle, the ball bounced in off a post. Obinna's second goal
 was just as good, he beat Grandoni to a long ball and with Amelia standing off his line
 sent a lob sailing over his head.

In an interview last November Obinna said "My ambition is to be the greatest player in
 the world.". I wouldn't bet against it, there certainly hasn't been another player over
 the past decade who showed so much potential in his teens.

Attendance : 7,087
Assist : n/a, Malago
 
 
FIORENTINA 1-0

LAZIO
Toni 15  

 
   

 
Attendance : 30,178
Assist : Ujfalusi
 
 
CAGLIARI 2-2

MILAN
Suazo 53 (Pen)  

Gilardino 48
Capone 65  

Borriello 70
     
Milan's chances of winning this match, which were slim to begin with, decreased further
 with news that Kaka' would miss it through injury. Despite that they took the lead when
 Gourcuff, the one positive from this season's campaign, combined with Seedorf down
 the left and stuck on cross onto Gilardino's head, 0-1. Kaladze gave away a penalty
 with a sloppy challenge on Swayze and he sent Kalac (Dida is out for 3 months) the
 wrong way. Swayze ran clear of Maldini and forced a save from Kalac and Capone
 reacted considerably quicker than his marker Kaladze to head in the rebound. Borriello,
 who replaced Oliveira at half time, scored an superb equaliser following a goalmouth
 scramble. Gilardino headed on a ball, Borriello bounced it off his chest then volleyed
 inside Fortin's post. Pirlo was sent off for chopping down Swayze from behind.

Attendance : 20,000
Red Card : Pirlo 75 (Milan)
Assists : Gourcuff, Suazo (won pen), n/a, n/a
 
 
UDINESE 1-1

REGGINA
Iaquinta 69  

Bianchi 35
     
This was the match in which a new goal line camera system was tested. Someone
 explain to me how is balls crossing or not crossing the line a MAJOR problem in this
 sport? Because it happens every week right? No but nothing is done about diving, a
 major problem that could be eradicated overnight with retrospective punishment
 following video replays.

The Udinese defence were convinced Bianchi was in an offside position as he headed
 Reggina into the lead (he wasn't). Reggina got a taste of their own medicine when the
 ever alert Di Natale chipped a pass into the box as Iaquinta ran across the Reggina
 defence, pulled the ball down then shot wide of Pelizzoli.

Attendance : 14,000
Red Card : Lanzaro 55 (Reggina)
Assists : Modesto, Di Natale
 
 
2 December 2006
 
INTER 2-0

SIENA
Burdisso 11    
Crespo 54    
     
Burdisso, who scored a highly improbable hat-trick in a Coppa Italia match in
 mid-week, darted across the box to get on the end of a Stankovic corner and crash a
 header in off the underside of the crossbar, his first league goal for the club. Inter
were defending like crap but seemed to have ridden off the storm under the ref,
 De Marco, invented a penalty when Antonini fell in close proximity to Maicon in the
 Inter box. Frick saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Julio Cesar then four minutes later
Crespo took advantage of Gastadello's poor control as he tried to deal with a hospital
 pass to lob over Manninger.

Attendance : 42,299
Assists : Stankovic (ck), n/a
 
 
ROMA 2-1

ATALANTA
Totti 50 & 68 (Pens)  

Zampagna 19
     
Zampagna tapped Atalanta into the lead after Doni spilled Donati's weak shot which
 admittedly followed some excellent approach play. Shortly after Doni blew a great
 chance to double Atalanta's lead, the ref pointed to the spot when Loria hauled down
 Perrotta by his shorts. Migliaccio conceded a second penalty with a late foul on Totti.
 On both occasions the Roma captain shot to Calderoni's right. Donati was sent off for
 a nasty foul on Perrotta.

Attendance : 33,864
Red Card : Donati 90 (Atalanta)
Assists : n/a, Perrotta (won pen), Totti (won pen)
 
 
R Mehdi