8 March 2009

BOLOGNA 3 (Di Vaio 46, Di Vaio 87, Di Vaio 91)
SAMPDORIA 0

At the end of the first half Mutarelli threw himself at a corner and the ball fell kindly for Di Vaio to head in at the back post. Antonioli kept Samp at bay in the second half before Di Vaio killed them off with two late goals. He played a one-two with substitute Adailton before selling Castelazzi a dummy and shooting in the opposite corner. Di Vaio pulled away from two defenders onto Amoroso's pass and shot first time inside the right post to complete his second hat-trick of the season.

Attendance : 15,000
Assists : Mutarelli, Adailton, Amoroso


CATANIA 0
SIENA 3 (Maccarone 10, Ghezzal 70, Jarolim 90)

Having thrashed Palermo on their own patch last week Catania were given a taste of their own medicine. Maccarone opening the scoring with a superb solo goal. Running in from the left flank on the half way line he beat no less then four players before blasting a 25 yard drive past Bizzari. Two of Siena's African players combined for the second, Ghezzal took one touch to control Kharja's pass before firing the ball into the bottom right corner. Galloppa's crossfield pass gave Jarolim a clear run 50 yards from goal, as he approached the box he feigned to shoot, dropping Bizarri to his knees, then hit the back of the net.

Attendance : 17,000
Assists : Galloppa, Kharja, Galloppa


CHIEVO 1 (Makinwa 56)
CAGLIARI 1 (Jeda 28)

Cossu put in a cross from the left and with the Chievo defence distracted by Acuqfresca the tiny Jeda took advantage to head past Sorrentino. Chievo were all over Cagliari and scored a deserved equaliser when Makinwa tapped in on the rebound after Sorrentino saved from Pinzi.

Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Cossu, n/a


FIORENTINA 0
PALERMO 2 (Simplicio 48, Miccoli 56)

Simplicio punished a mistake by Gamberini to give Palermo the lead early in the second half. The defender got the ball caught in his feet when trying to clear Cavani's centre, Miccoli shot from close range, Frey made a great save only for Simplicio to stab over the line. Cavani looked to play a one-two with Miccoli on the edge of the D but instead his strike partner dropped a shoulder to go past a defender and his grass cutter beat a poorly positioned Frey.

Attendance : 29,179
Assists : n/a, Cavani


LECCE 0
REGGINA 0

Attendance : 10,000
Assist : n/a


MILAN 3 (Inzaghi 7, Inzaghi 70, Inzaghi 75)
ATALANTA 0

With Kaka' and Ronaldinho still injured Inzaghi played from the start. Zambrotta hit a deflected cross against an Atalanta defender, Jankulovski was first to react and pulled back a centre which Inzaghi met first with a left foot volley. Pato, finally shorn of that dreadful perm, should have made it 2-0 but wasted Beckham's absolutely brilliant first time pass. His skin is clearing up as well. Four defenders tried to play Inzaghi offside but it was one of those rare occasions in which he timed his run, onto Pato's pass, correctly and jumped over Consigli as he came off his line before tapping into an empty net. Zambrotta played a one-two with Jankulovski down Atalanta's right flank and centred for Pippo to complete his hat-trick.

Attendance : 54,645
Assists : Jankulovski, Pato, Zambrotta


NAPOLI 0
LAZIO 2 (Rocchi 57, Rocchi 65)

Napoli's new year misery continued with another defeat. Rocchi came on as a second half sub for Zarate to score a fantastic goal on the counter attack. Lazio were defending a free kick, Muslera punched out a cross and Foggia plucked the ball out of the air with a superb first touch, side-stepped a defender's attempted tackle then hit a glorious 50 yard crossfield pass to Rocchi, Rocchi left the Napoli defence in his wake and steered a shot inside Navarro's right post. Rocchi found the same corner when he controlled a deflected cross with his right before lashing the ball home with his left.

Like Di Natale Rocchi is an exceptional player from a technical standpoint and still has great pace. Whether either of these two players could have made it at a top side is something we'll never know.

Attendance : 30,000
Assists : Foggia, n/a


7 March 2009

ROMA 1 (Vucinic 61)
UDINESE 1 (Felipe 54)

A Di Natale cross struck Riise on the arm, while half the Udinese players appealed for offisde they unintetionally walked forward, taking Roma defenders with them, and Felipe ran into the gap to head in Di Natale's cross. Vucinic drifited in from the left, dribbled past Zapate and angled a shot into the bottom right corner. De Rossi was sent off for protesting a decision over a foul commited by Panucci, from behind, which in itself should have been a straight red. Both teams contrived to miss a host of chances in the remaining minutes. Udinese were robbed of a penalty when Mexes handled in the box.

Attendance : 30,000
Red Card : De Rossi 68 (Roma)
Assists : Di Natale, Montella


GENOA 0
INTER 2 (Ibrahimovic 2, Balotelli 61)

Running onto a longball out of the Inter half, Ibrahimovic left the Genoa defence for dead before controlling the ball on his chest and lobbing over Rubinho, brilliant while at the same time utterly unimpressive because he doesn't do it in Europe. Julio Cesar made a World Class save to deny Motta a certain equaliser. Balotelli ran onto a flick on, rounded Rubinho and despite the presense of two defenders, squeezed a shot over the line. The TV shows made a big deal over his goal because it appeared as if a tiny part of the ball may have touched the chalk on the goaline.

Attendance : 32,000
Assists : Stankovic, Ibrahimovic


TORINO 0
JUVENTUS 1 (Chiellini 81)

Juve would have won this match by a cricket score were it not for Sereni who had the game of his life. He was finally beaten when Chiellini stooped to head in a Nedved free kick.

Attendance : 25,000
Assist : Nedved (fk)