31 August 2008
FIORENTINA 1 (Gilardino 89)
JUVENTUS 1 (Nedved 39)
Juve caught Fiorentina napping from a throw in. Grygera played a one two with Camoranesi before getting to the by-line and pulling the ball back for Nedved to slot past Frey. Fiorentina fell apart and could have easily been 0-3 down at half time.
Gilardino missed two chances and Fiorentina's hopes of a comeback seemed more unlikely after Melo was sent off for going in hard on Poulsen on a 50-50 ball. Kroldrup punted a free kick into the box from the half way line, Pazzini headed down to Gilardino who with his back to goal flicked the ball around Mellberg and as he turned screwed a right foot shot inside Buffon's post. Brilliant finish, why couldn't he do that for Milan?
Attendance : 40,560
Red Card : Melo 84 (Fiorentina)
Assists : Grygera, Pazzini
ATALANTA 1 (Padoin 15)
SIENA 0
Attendance : 9,400
Red Card : Maccarone 86 (Siena)
Assist : Adriano
CAGLIARI 1 (Larrivey 31)
LAZIO 4 (Zarate 62 Pen, Zarate 71, Foggia 74, Pandev 84)
Joaquin Larrivey equalled last season's goal tally on the half hour mark with a striker's finish. Controlling a firm pass on his chest, he made a yard on a defender before hooking past Lazio's new #1 Juan Pablo Carrizo. Mauro Zarate, formerly of Birmingham City, began a second half comeback from the penalty spot after centre back Lopez was sent off for punching the ball off his line. Zarate put Lazio in front with an excellent close range lob as Cagliari goalkeeper Marchetti dived at his feet. Foggia arrived at the back post to slide in Kolarov's centre and Pandev turned his marker before thumping in Lazio's fourth.
Attendance : 12,000
Red Card : Lopez 60 (Cagliari)
Assists : Fini, n/a, n/a, Kolarov, Foggia
CATANIA 1 (Mascara 61)
GENOA 0
Attendance : 17,000
Assist : n/a
CHIEVO 2 (Marcolini 76 Pen, Italiano 88)
REGGINA 1 (Corradi 72 Pen)
Both teams traded penalties and looked set for a share of the spoils before an absolute clanger from Reggina's goalkeeper handed the flying donkeys three points. Midfielder Italiano, who in fact born in Germany, tried his luck from the edge of the box and as Campagnolo scrambled across goal he spiked the ball into his own net.
Attendance : 10,000
Red Card : Langella 96 (Chievo)
Assists : Corradi (won pen), Langella (won pen), Bentivoglio
MILAN 1 (Ambrosini 41)
BOLOGNA 2 (Di Vaio 18, Valiani 79)
Three defenders converged on Amoroso as he laid off Zenoni's centre and Di Vaio got goalside of the wretched Kaladze to shoot past Abbiati. Ronaldinho, who had a superb game, made the equaliser for Ambrosini with a great cross to the back post. 27 year old midfielder Valiani hit an unlikely winner on his Serie A debut. He beat Ambrosini to a loose ball before sending a right foot half volley rocketing into the top left corner.
Attendance : 60,000
Assists : Amoruso, Ronaldinho, n/a
ROMA 1 (Aquilani 29)
NAPOLI 1 (Hamsik 55)
De Rossi hit a pass through the heart of the Napoli defence to fellow youth team graduate Aquilani who controlled the ball on his chest before volleying wide of the onrushing Iezzo. A minute after Napoli centre back Santacroce was sent off for a second bookable offence Hamsik bundled in the equaliser from a corner at the second attempt.
Attendance : 40,000
Red Card : Santacroce 54 (Napoli)
Assists : De Rossi, n/a
TORINO 3 (Rosina 29 Pen, Zanetti 33, Bianchi 75)
LECCE 0
Rosina put away a penalty and helped make Torino's second when he got the by-line before pulling the ball back to Amoruso whose shot took a deflection off team-mate Zanetti wrong footing Benussi in the Lecce goal. Benussi tipped a Rosina cross onto the woodwork and Bianchi, playing for his third club in 12 months, headed into an empty net.
Attendance : 17,000
Assists : n/a, Amoruso, n/a
30 August 2008
UDINESE 3 (Di Natale 9, Di Natale 34, Inler 70)
PALERMO 1 (Bresciano 69)
Euro 2008 choker Di Natale had the distinction of scoring the first goal of the season and it was a real gem. Collecting the ball on the left he cut inside the box, feigned to shoot, giving him a yard on Raggi, then curled a right foot shot into the bottom corner. His second was even better and a repeat of a sensational goal he scored last season. Running between two defenders onto a D'Agostino's ball over the top with his first touch he instantly brought the ball under control and with his second lifted a peach of a lob over a flailing Amelia. Aussie Mark Bresciano gave Palermo a glimmer of hope when he punished atrocious defending in the box but Inler restored Udinese's two goal cushion with an absolute bullet of a header.
Attendance : 13,000
Assists : Inler, D'Agostino, n/a, D'Agostino (ck)
SAMPDORIA 1 (Delvecchio 68)
INTER 1 (Ibrahimovic 33)
Ibrahimovic's opening goal, following a series of one-twos with Mancini, would have been one of the goals of the season had he not used his arm to control the Brazilian's pass before beating Mirante. Delvecchio scored a deserved equaliser for the hosts, flicking past Julio Cesar milliseconds after Maicon almost decapitated Franceschini as the midfielder attacked a Cassano cross.
Attendance : 33,975
Assists : Mancini, n/a