THIRD PLACE
Fiorentina vs Milan. What price a goal for Gilardino that sends his former club into the Champions League preliminary rounds and Ancelotti to Chelsea? I would suspect the chances are high. Fiorentina need to win by two goals. As Fiorentina have a superior head to head against Genoa they have already qualified for the Champions League.
RELEGATION
Bologna vs Catania - Catania have nothing to play for and are poor away from home.
Roma vs Torino - Roma will want to put on a show for what is probably going to be Spalletti's last match in charge so it doesn't look good for Torino.
24 May 2009
ATALANTA 2 (Plasmati 50, Plasmati 67)
PALERMO 2 (Succi 32, Miccoli 75)
Atalanta's right back got drawn out of position and Miccoli played the ball into that space, Balzaretti ran onto it, centred and Succi tapped in. Plasmati equalised five minutes after replacing Zaza when he met Guarante's cross with a superb diving header. They combined for a near carbon copy second but their goalkeeper literally threw away the points with a dreadful error. Miccoli struck a volley towards Consigli, Consigli got down and positioned his hands to catch the ball but overshot and the ball struck his chest and bounced in off a post.
Guarante, who has represented Italy at all youth levels, is a possible future Italy international.
Attendance : 10,000
Assists : Balzaretti, Guarante, Guarante, Balzaretti
CAGLIARI 2 (Cossu 34, Acquafresca 71)
INTER 1 (Ibrahimovic 8)
The normally excellent Marchetti let a firm but ultimately saveable Ibrahimovic shot squirm under him. Conti stripped Vieira of the ball in midfield before passing out to Cossu, Burdisso telegraphed his sliding tackle so Cossu simply stepped away and rolled the ball wide of Toldo. Acquafresca, who is furious with owners Inter using him as a bargaining chip for Milito, scored against them for the season time this season when he headed in Biondini's cross. Inter are fools for letting this kid go, he genuinely wants to play for the club and is a real talent.
Attendance : 22,000
Assists : Jimenez, Conti, Biondini
CATANIA 3 (Morimoto 42, Mascara 88 Pen, Falconieri 91)
NAPOLI 1 (Bogliacino 28)
Bogliacino, a squad player for Napoli, scored his first goal of the season with a fantastic left footed shot from 25 yards. Catania's promising Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto, who surprisingly has yet to win a senior cap, headed in a half time equaliser from a gorgeous Capuano cross. Martinez screwed Napoli out of a point with a dive in the penalty area and after Mascara converted 22 year old Vito Falconieri gave Catania another contender for goal of the season in only his second ever game. He turned onto a ball and from 30 yards struck an extraordinary left foot, gravity defying half volley, the ball shot up in the air before suddenly dipping as it hit the back of the net. Obviously he's been watching Mascara in training.
Attendance : 18,000
Red Card : Mannini 89 (Napoli)
Assists : Zalayeta, Capuano, Martinez (won pen), Carboni
CHIEVO 0
BOLOGNA 0
Attendance : 16,000
Assist : n/a
LECCE 1 (Tiribocchi 50)
FIORENTINA 1 (Jorgensen 90)
Given what was at stake for both teams - Serie A survival for Lecce and a Champions League place for Fiorentina you may have expected a cagey affair but this was a surprisingly open contest with plenty of chances and some atrocious finishing. Tiribocchi ran past two defenders onto Melo's slack clearance, cut across them, taking the ball wide, and as Frey dived at his feet his lifted a delicate left foot lob over him and into the bottom left corner. Superb finish. Melo was sent off for stamping his studs into Vives's right thigh, an appalling challenge. Fiorentina lucked out in the 90th minute when Jorgensen tried to head down a cross, the ball hit Giacomazzi and bounced back to him and he ran through to side foot past Rosati and relegating Lecce in the process.
Attendance : 7,600
Red Card : Melo 80 (Fiorentina)
Assists : n/a, n/a
MILAN 2 (Ambrosini 75, Ambrosini 81)
ROMA 3 (Riise 36, Menez 80, Totti 85)
Maldini's farewell game at the San Siro was marred by a defeat in what was a truly horrendous defensive display. Riise almost tore a hole in Dida's net with a spectacularly violent left footed shot. Artur made fantastic saves from Pato and Kaka' as Milan laid siege to Roma's goal but he undid his good work when spilling a tame Inzaghi volley and Ambrosini slotted home the rebound. Menez exposed a tired looking Maldini for pace twice and on the second time took advantage by running onto Riise's pass and beating Dida with an angled drive. Milan went upfield and struck an immediate equaliser when Ambrosini tapped in a Kaka' centre. Pizarro touched on a free kick for Totti to blast through a pathetically constructed wall. Ambrosini was shown a second yellow for protesting over the non award of a penalty when Motta elbowed Zambrotta in the box.
Attendance : 72,681
Red Card : Ambrosini 88 (Milan)
Assists : Pizarro (fk), n/a, Riise, Kaka', Pizarro (fk)
SAMPDORIA 2 (Isla 33 og, Cassano 44 Pen)
UDINESE 2 (D'Agostino 13 Pen, Felipe 61)
Hugo intercepted a through ball and standing alone just inside his box he waited and waited and waited for his goalkeeper to claim the ball, inexperienced 19 year old Vincenzo Fiorillo, who was making his Serie A debut, Hugo eventually decided to clear but slipped and Quagliarella fell over him to win an absolutely lame penalty which D'Agostino of course converted. Isla turned a Cassano centre into his own net, much to Pazzini's amusement. He wasn't laughing minutes later after missed an open goal. Cassano tried to dribble his way past three players in the Udinese box before Zapata felled him with a sneaky trip. I thought it was a dive at first but the replays seem to suggest otherwise. Fiorillo got stuck in traffic on a corner and Felipe took advantage to head in the equaliser.
Attendance : 22,000
Assists : Quagliarella (won pen), n/a, Cassano (won pen), D'Agostino (ck)
SIENA 0
JUVENTUS 3 (Del Piero 18 fk, Marchisio 37, Del Piero 90)
Del Piero got Ferrara's (short?) reign as Juve coach off to a flying start with a trademark free kick. Marchisio won possession in his own half, played a one two with Del Piero, ran between two defenders on his return pass and poked the ball over Curci as he came off his line. Del Piero ran onto a Marchisio long ball and rounded Curci to complete a thoroughly one sided victory.
Attendance : 15,000
Assists : Camoranesi (won fk), Marchisio, Marchisio
TORINO 2 (Franceschini 40, Bianchi 49)
GENOA 3 (Milito 32 Pen, Olivera 48 fk, Milito 89)
Pisano chopped down Rossi to concede a penalty which Inter bound Milito converted. Ogbonna got tremendous hang time to head down an Abate cross which Franceschini volleyed past Sereni. Olivera restored Genoa's lead with a free kick but Torino hit back immediately when Bianchi lost his marker to lob a bouncing ball over Rubinho. Rosini and Ventola went close for the home side but Milito struck a minute before time, heading in Juric cross. Abate was sent off for a shocking two footed sliding tackle on the midfielder deep into injury time.
The mother of all brawls followed. There were about 40 people on the pitch, players, officials and staff from each bench. The main action saw Rubinho grab Pisano from behind with a headlock then jump in the air and drive him down into the ground - like a reverse Uranage (Rock Bottom), it's a Judo technique. Then a Torino player dropped Olivera with a left hook. To his credit Olivera got up immediately. I think a fight between that Torino player and Rubinho would be worth watching.
Attendance : 23,000
Red Card : Abate 94 (Torino)
Assists : Rossi (won pen), Ogbonna, Olivera (won fk), Abate, Juric
20 May 2009
LAZIO 1 (Zarate 26)
REGGINA 0
Zarate's goal sent Reggina into Serie B.
Attendance : 25,000
Assist : Dabo