26 August 2007
PALERMO 0
ROMA 2 (Mexes 4, Aquilani 27)
Tonetto? hit a deep crossfield pass out to Totti on the right flank, Totti gave the ball to Taddei and with Palermo goalkeeper Jimmy Fontana taking up a stupid position at his near post the Brazilian fired the ball across an empty net and Mexes got the final touch. Vucinic headed back an overhit corner to Aquilani, standing a good 35 yards from goal he tried his luck and despite having all week to make a save Jimmy dived late as the ball hit the back of the net.
I wonder how many games Palermo's idiot of a president Maurizio Zamparni will give to coach Stefano Colantuono.
Attendance : 32,202
Assists : Taddei, Vucinic
FIORENTINA 3 (Pazzini 56, Mutu 64, Montolivo 70)
EMPOLI 1 (Saudati 92)
Balli tipped a drive from Montolivo straight into the path of Pazzini leaving the striker with a simple header. Mutu tried to play in Pazzini on the break but kicked the ball against Tosto, he chased down the rebound, turned inside his Tosto and beat Balli at his near post. Fiorentina scored a second goal on the break. As Montolivo checked inside two defenders he nonchalantly lobbed the ball from a tight angle out wide on the left and it sailed over Balli before dropping into the net. Fabulous goal, fabulous player. Vannucchi controlled an overhit pass on his chest and volleyed the ball to Saudati, with two defenders approaching he retained his composure and found the corner.
Attendance : 31,280
Assists : n/a, n/a, Mutu, Vannucchi
GENOA 0
MILAN 3 (Ambrosini 21, Kaka' 44, Kaka' 47 Pen)
Ambrosini, who will be captain in Maldini's absence and when he retires at the end of the season, headed in a Pirlo free kick. Oddo beat his marker before pulling the ball back to Seedorf, as he was tackled the ball broke to Kaka' and he fired between goalkeeper Rubinho's legs. Gilardino appeared to be fouled as he tried to round Rubinho. It looked a legit penalty in real-time but not on the replays. The half-time whistle blew seconds after Kaka' converted.
Gilardino has an awful match. It's a bit early in the season to be struggling with pressure. I expect he's played himself out of the starting XI against Sevilla next week. He better step it up soon otherwise he'll be watching the second half of the season from the bench.
Attendance : 24,000
Assists : Pirlo (fk), n/a, Gilardino (won pen)
INTER 1 (Stankovic 9)
UDINESE 1 (Cordoba 92 og)
Following a spot of ball juggling Ibrahimovic released Stankovic, via a deflection off a defender, and he beat Chimenti at his near post. Inter barely got out of first gear as the visitors slowly began to impose themselves on the game. The normally excellent Julio Cesar was sent off for inexplicably handling outside the box. In the second minute of injury time Cordoba, under pressure from Asamoah, headed into his own net to give Udinese a deserved point.
I'll save the jokes about Inter returning to being Inter now that Juve are back, unless they screw up again.
Attendance : 40,000
Red Card : Julio Cesar 57 (Inter)
Assists : n/a, n/a
NAPOLI 0
CAGLIARI 2 (Matri 49, Foggia 59 Pen)
Fini chested Foggia's cross between three defenders, Matri pulled away as they appealed for offside and steered the ball into the bottom left corner. Foggia won and converted a bullshit penalty.
Given Napoli's president is movie producer Aurelio de Laurentiis, nephew of the legendary Dino de Laurentiis, you'd figure he would have spent some money in the transfer window. It seems a lot of people are happy to see them back in Serie A on account of them being a big deal during the Maradona era and their passionate fans. I'm not one of them, I hope they go down.
Attendance : 40,000
Assists : Fini, Foggia (won pen)
PARMA 2 (Pisanu 28, Rossi 43)
CATANIA 2 (Morimoto 12, Baiocco 44)
19 year old Japanese striker Morimoto pulled down Mascara's crossfield pass with his left foot before curling inside the post with his right. Pisanu chested down a long ball, got between two defenders and blasted the ball in off the underside of the crossbar. Rossi put Parma in front after a Catania player botched a clearance from a corner. Catania hit back immediately following a quick interplay of passes, Morimoto unselfishly centring for Baiocco to equalise from 6 yards.
In the second half the coaches got into an argument, as Parma coach Di Carlo walked away Catania's Baldini KICKED HIS ARSE and I mean that literally. Even Di Carlo thought it was funny. Only in Serie A. I'll post a video later in the week.
Attendance : 13,426
Assists : Mascara, Budan, n/a, Morimoto
REGGINA 1 (Amoruso 77)
ATALANTA 1 (Doni 84 Pen)
Reggina dominated and should have been out of sight before Amoruso gave them a belated lead when he headed Modesto's cross in off a post. The ref gave Atalanta a point when he pointed to the spot after Zampagna dived under minimal contact. Doni made no mistake.
Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Modesto, Zampagna (won pen)
SIENA 1 (Corvia 68)
SAMPDORIA 2 (Bellucci 34, Montella 86)
Bellucci collected Delvecchio's pass and from 20 yards struck an excellent left foot shot which arrowed into the top right corner. Coriva headed in the equaliser, against the run of play, from a superb de Ceglie cross. Fulham didn't take up the option of making Montella's loan move permanent, on account of him not being American, and the little aeroplane came off the bench to score a beautiful winner. He played a ball into Volpi, Volpi clipped a high return into the box and as the ball dropped Montella lifted a volley into the left corner.
Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Delvecchio, de Ceglie, Volpi
25 August 2007
LAZIO 2 (Pandev 56, Rocchi 61)
TORINO 2 (Rosina 34, Vailatti 68)
Rosina scored the first goal of the season with a deft lob from the edge of the box, punishing Ballotta for terrible positioning. Mudingayi's deflected cross fell kindly for Pandev to fire in the equaliser. Sereni gave his former team the lead with a typically crap piece of goalkeeping, diving too late to push out Rocchi's grass-cutter. 20 year old midfielder Vailatti punished non marking at the back post to score his first ever Serie A goal.
You have to speculate to accumulate. Lazio have been cheap bastards in the transfer window. They could have made millions from Champions League football but are in danger of failing to qualify for the group stages and haven't a prayer of finishing inside the top four this season with Ballotta in goal and only one good striker (Rocchi).
Attendance : 18,000
Red Card : Comotto 85 (Torino)
Assists : n/a, n/a, Mutarelli, Barone
JUVENTUS 5 (Trezeguet 28, Iaquinta 71 Pen, Iaquinta 85, Trezeguet 86, Trezeguet 91)
LIVORNO 1 (Loviso 93)
Del Piero worked a short corner with Nedved before whipping a cross into the box for an unmarked Trezeguet, football's forgotten superstar, to head Juve into the lead. Iaquinta, on as a 60th minute sub for Del Piero, won and converted a soft penalty. Livorno fell apart in the last 6 minutes. A deflection off Iaquinta's arse carried Nedved's speculative shot past Amelia. Iaquinta played in Trezeguet for his second on the break and he completed his hat-trick with a tap-in after Amelia spilled a cross. Loviso grabbed himself a consolation goal with a low shot from the edge of the box which bounced inside Buffon's left hand post.
Juventus have temporarily left the Stadio Della Empty and will play their home games in Turin's Olimpico stadium until re-development is complete next season.
Attendance : 22,000
Assists : Del Piero, Iaquinta (won pen), Nedved, Iaquinta, n/a, Tristan