5 October 2008

ATALANTA 4 (Floccari 35, Garics 39, Floccari 77, Doni 82)
SAMPODORIA 2 (Cassano 7, Cassano 54 Pen)

Bonazzoli hooked a ball forward to Cassano, he flicked it away from one defender and nutmegged another before bursting into the box and gently pushing the ball past Coppola. Marvellous goal. Samp failed to clear a cross into the box, Gastaldello jumped above his marker to head down to Cigarini and he poked the ball through for Floccari to equalise. Samp must have been caught on the break as the entire left side of their defence went AWOL leaving Garics with a free run on goal and he finished with aplomb, lobbing over a grounded Mirante. Bonazzoli pulled down his marker Talamonti to win a penalty, Cassano made no mistake, unlike the ref. Accardi was sent off for handball and Sampdoria caved. Doni back heeled to Cigarini, the former Parma midfielder passed out wide to Padoin and Floccari converted his center. Samp were reduced to nine men when Dessena checked Doni. I thought both reds were harsh. Doni capped off an excellent performance with a deserved goal, scored after exchanging passes with Adriano.

Attendance : 13,000
Red Cards : Accardi 71 (Sampdoria), Dessena 80 (Sampdoria)
Assists : n/a, Cigarini, Doni, Bonazzoli (won pen), Padoin, Adriano


CAGLIARI 0
MILAN 0

Attendance : 20,000
Assists : n/a


CHIEVO 0
FIORENTINA 2 (Kuzmanovic 32, Gilardino 74)

Gilardino won a free kick on the edge of the box. As both sets of players argued with the ref Kuzmanovic broke from the pack and called for a pass, Montolivo duly obliged and he rifled the ball past Sorrentino. Scardina was sent off for an EPL tackle, catching Semioli on the top of his left foot. Fiorentina hit the post and crossbar before a rejuvenated Gilardino headed in his fourth goal of the season.

Attendance : 11,495
Red Cards : Scardina 38 (Chievo)
Assists : Montolivo (fk), Vargas


GENOA 3 (Papastathopoulos 44, Palladino 52, Milito 73)
NAPOLI 1 (Lavezzi 1, Denis 75)

A Genoa defender overhit a backpass to his team-mates second after kick-off, Lavezzi powered through two of them before thumping a left footed shot past Gianello. 20 year old Greek centre back Papastathopoulos, who is considered a great prospect, turned onto a deflected Milito flick on, held off Santacroce and angled a shot into the bottom left corner. Milito was also involved in the second. He chased down a long ball and held off a defender before laying off for Juve reject Palladino to tap-in from close range. Rossi Rugby tackled Lavezzi to earn an early bath. The sneaky Milito was up to his old tricks and ghosted away from two defenders in the box before headed in a Juric cross. Pia crossed from the right and Denis flicked a ball around a defender before hammering a shot into the roof of the net. Papastathopoulos walked for a mistimed tackle on Lavezzi. Rubinho made a phenomenal one handed save from Denis to take home three points for Genoa and condemn Napoli to their first defeat of the season.

10/10 for Milito so far this season. He is literally an absolute classic, a pure finisher. He better get a call up for Argentina, God knows they could use someone good in the air.

Attendance : 25,000
Red Cards : Rossi 55 (Genoa), Papastathopoulos 90 (Genoa)
Assists : n/a, n/a, Milito, Juric, Pia


JUVENTUS 1 (Del Piero 39 fk)
PALERMO 2 (Miccoli 24, Mchedlidze 81)

A clever free kick gave Palermo a shock lead. Liverani was shaping to hit the ball to the left but swung a brilliant reverse pass out wide to Cavani on the opposite flank, Buffon parried his first time shot and former Juventino Miccoli hooked in the rebound. He injured himself in the process and was substituted five minutes later. Mellberg was also an early casualty, appearing to damage his cock. Del Piero equalised with a fantastic free kick then two minutes later Juve were down to ten when Sissoko picked up a second yellow for an apparent foul. Juve created very little while their offside trap kept catching the Palermo attack that is until 18 year old substitute Mchedlidze timed his run onto a Liverani through ball and shot wide of Buffon. Simplicio missed a sitter in injury time but it didn't matter.

Ranieri is under pressure after going winless in Juve's last four games and it's not going to get any easier with a double header against Real Madrid later in the month. A lot is made of Milan's ageing squad but Juve midfield is ancient and pedestrian in comparison, as it has been for many a year.

Attendance : 22,495
Red Card : Sissoko 41 (Juventus)
Assists : n/a, Amauri (won fk), Liverani


REGGINA 1 (Costa 80)
CATANIA 1 (Paolucci 69)

Reggina dominated but couldn't find a way past Bizarri. The home side fell behind completely against the run of play. Izco caught Alvarez as he tried to play the ball out of defence, he passed to Paolucci who turned and with almost no back lift hammered a shot in off the underside of the crossbar from 20 yards. He was sent off three minutes later for kicking Cirillo. Ceravolo headed a corner against the crossbar and Costa lashed in the rebound.

Attendance : 11,000
Red Cards : Paolucci 72 (Catania)
Assists : Izco, n/a


SIENA 1 (Frick 46)
ROMA 0

Roma won't be happy with the ref. Both reds were for clumsy challenges which means the Giallorossi face Inter (their next match) without Mexes, Panucci, Cassetti and Tonetto. On a brighter note Juan returned as a late sub.

Attendance : 12,500
Red Cards : Mexes 66 (Roma), Panucci 74 (Roma)
Assist : Maccarone


UDINESE 2 (Quagliarella 44, Quagliarella 77)
TORINO 0

Torino should have taken a comfortable lead into half time but the price for poor finishing, a bad offside call and a luckless rebound. Torino were working the ball back from the touchline. Sanchez chased down Isla as he tried to whack the ball clear and it deflected off the midfielder and ran kindly to Quagliarella who punished Calderoni's poor positioning with a simple finish. D'Agostino hit a FANSTIC first time pass out of defence, something which is a becoming a speciality, sending Quagliarella clear to score his second.

Attendance : 12,000
Assists : Sanchez, D'Agostino


4 October 2008

LAZIO 1 (S Inzaghi 89)
LECCE 1 (Tiribocchi 26)

The Lazio centre backs, clearly the teams weak link, didn't bother to challenge for a cross allowing Tiribocchi to bounce a header past Carrizo. Lazio recovered from a sluggish first half and laid siege to Lecce's goal before breaking through on 89 minutes. Stendardo headed a Zarate free kick into the wall and Simone Inzaghi pounced to volley past Benussi.

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


INTER 2 (Ibrahimovic 25, Adriano 50 Pen)
BOLOGNA 1 (Moras 56)

Ibrahimovic scored an amazing goal somewhat similar to the goal he scored against Italy at Euro 2002. Adriano fired in a cross, Ibrahimovic was standing towards the left of the six yard box with his back to play and a defender. As the ball came in he flicked a high right foot back heel volley over a stunned Antonioli. Even by the giant Swede's standards this has to be one of the best goals of his career. Adriano doubled Inter's lead from the penalty spot after Volpi handled in the box. Moras got Bologna back into the match following a mix-up in the injury hit Inter defence. Zanetti miss-controlled a high cross and Cordoba, standing in front of him, ducked expecting his captain to whack the ball clear but when he turned he saw Moras slot the ball into the bottom corner. Inter should have been awarded a second penalty when Terzi threw his shoulder into Adriano's jaw as he tried to run past. The ref, who was standing 10 yards away, gave nothing. Ridiculous. I'll hold fire on saying this decision is due to Mourinho's charm offensive unless it happens again.

Attendance : 47,913
Assists : Adriano, n/a, n/a