17 April 2011
TITLE RACE
Milan : Brescia (A), Bologna (H), Roma (A), Cagliari (H), Udinese (A)
Having already completed doubles over their direct titles rivals Milan are almost on easy street with the once daunting prospect of facing Udinese away on the last day of the season not looking so daunting in light of the Bianconeri's nightmare run-in. Even Pato's injury against Sampdoria can't dampen Rossoneri spirits, Pirlo is back, Inzaghi is expected to follow within a fortnight and Ibrahimovic will return from suspension against Roma.
Napoli : Palermo (A), Genoa (H), Lecce (A), Inter (H), Juventus (A)
If Napoli are to win the title they're going to do it the hard way. The Palermo game could be a high scoring affair, Lecce have impressed against the big teams in recent weeks and Inter and Juve will be fighting hard to salvage something from disappointing seasons. By the time Napoli entertain Inter, Milan could well be champions.
Inter : Lazio (H), Cesena (H), Fiorentina (H), Napoli (A), Catania (H)
Inter's Arsenal like spring collapse leaves the exhausted champions 8 points behind with just 5 games remaining. As it that wasn't bad enough next week's game against Lazio follows a mid-week Coppa Italia semi-final away to Roma. As at Milan, Rabbit killer Leonardo has been exposed against the better sides.
4th Place
Lazio : Inter (A), Juventus (H), Udinese (A), Genoa (H), Lecce (A)
The one time leaders have fell away dramatically since the turn of the year but strong home form and an excellent defence keeps them in pole position for 4th place. Their next three games will go a long way to determining whether they stay there
Udinese : Parma (H), Fiorentina (A), Lazio (H), Chievo (A), Milan (A)
Serie A's form team until a shock loss at Lecce ended their title hopes and defeat last week saw them lose their brief flirtation with 4th place. Today's amazing result at Napoli keeps them in the hunt but given their fixtures they need star strikers Di Natale and Sanchez back.
CATANIA 1 (Schelotto 46)
LAZIO 4 (Hernanes 40, Mauri 56, Floccari 78, Zarate 90)
Mauri flicked on cross and Hernanes turned the ball in at the back post. A minute after the restart Muslera spilled from Bergessio and Schelotto tapped Catania level. Zarate suddenly remembered how to play football and turned in a sparkling second half performance. He controlled a crossfield pass on his chest, dribbled through traffic and laid on a centre for Mauri. Hernanes lead a counter attack, played a one-two with Floccari, taking defenders with him, released Zarate on the overlap and Floccari tapped in his centre. Zarate whipped in a last minute free kick to complete Lazio's most impressive victory of the season.
Attendance : 14,014
Assists : Mauri, n/a, Zarate, Zarate, Zarate (won fk)
CESENA 1 (Bogdani 48)
BARI 0
Attendance : 15,699
Assists : Giaccherini
CHIEVO 2 (Constant 15, Marcolini 83)
BOLOGNA 0
Constant lashed in a rebound after Pellissier forced a terrific save from Viviano, his first Serie A goal. Sardo almost scored one of the goals of the season. He flicked up a centre then slammed a volley in off the underside of the crossbar from 30 yards. Rigoni went in late on Ramirez to earn a red card and copped an earful from Pellissier. It didn't matter as ten man Chievo were rarely troubled. Mudingayi lost possession with a sloppy touch in midfield, Marcolini ran from inside the centre circle and struck an awesome first time shot which dropped inside the top left corner. Amazing goal especially as Viviano was only a yard or so off his line.
Having secured their Serie A safety Bologna have given up in recent weeks.
Attendance : 10,846
Red Card : Rigoni 47 (Chievo)
Assists : n/a, n/a
FIORENTINA 0
JUVENTUS 0
Attendance : 34,483
Assists : n/a
GENOA 3 (Rafinha 59, Berardi 71 og, Antonelli 94)
BRESCIA 0
Rafinha broke the deadlock with a diving header at the back post. Palacio, who made the first with a great cross, forced the second. Brescia couldn't find a way past Eduardo and Antonelli recovered from a poor first touch to lob over Arcari, once again Palacio was the architect.
Roma should look to sign Palacio as they rebuild their team. He won't come cheap but is going nowhere fast at Genoa and is too good for a mid-table team.
Attendance : 21,000
Assists : Palacio, n/a, Palacio
LECCE 3 (Mesbah 49, Fabiano 88, Corvia 94)
CAGLIARI 3 (Acquafresca 20, Conti 67, Acquafresca 71)
Lazzari chipped a high ball over to the back post and Acquafresca caught it on the drop with a fierce right foot volley. The home side equalised against the run of the play. Agazzi came off his line to put a block on Di Michele but he striker beat him to the punch and his shot was turned in by Mesbah. Rosati fumbled a header and four minutes later Missiroli sent Acquafresca clear of Lecce's offside trap to make it 1-3. Fabiano headed in Lecce's second from a corner. In injury time Cagliari wasted a 100% chance to score a fourth. Tomovic gathered a longball and a defender slipped on the edge of the box leaving him with the simple task of centring for Ricchiuti who got the ball caught in his feet under pressure from Ragatzu and missed an empty net. Shocking movement. Corvia score a fantastic equaliser. Olivera hit a high crossfield pass towards Giacomazzi who had his back to goal, he bounced the ball off his right thigh, flicked it over the heads of three defenders with the outside of his foot, Corvia trapped the ball off his chest before crashing a volley past Agazzi. Absolutely brilliant goal.
Attendance : 12,600
Assists : Lazzari, Di Michele, Cossu (ck), Missiroli, Olivera (ck), Giacomazzi
NAPOLI 1 (Mascara 95)
UDINESE 2 (Inler 55, Denis 62)
Denis rattled the woodwork against his former club before normal service resumed and Cavani terrorised the Udinese defence, going close on two occasions. Udinese, who were already without their best two players, Di Natale and Sanchez, lost their third, Isla, to an ankle injury just past the half hour mark. From absolutely nowhere the visitors took a shock lead when Inler let rip with a stunning right foot drive inside the right post. He didn't celebrate, almost certainly confirming rumours he's joining Napoli next season. Armero picked out Denis and the Napoli reject chested the ball down before hammering a volley into the top left corner. Maggio headed against the bar and another former Napoli player, Domizzi, punched Lucarelli in the box to concede a penalty and earn a red card. Handanovic saved Cavani's spot kick. The Uruguayan hit-man then kicked fresh air as Udinese struggled to clear a cross but Mascara won on hand to slam in the rebound.
Unbelievable collapse by Napoli, unbelievable result for Udinese and Guidolin deserves all the credit for his inspired tactical switch to 4-4-1-1.
Attendance : 60,000
Red Card : Domizzi 87 (Udinese)
Assists : Pasquale, Armero, n/a
16 April 2011
ROMA 2 (Totti 20 Pen, Vucinic 92)
PALERMO 3 (Pinilla 43 Pen, Hernandez 84, Hernandez 90)
Bacinovic pulled back Menez to concede the first penalty. Pinilla backed into Burdisso when attempting an overhead kick and the ref pointed to the spot, very harsh. Menez should have restored Roma's lead early in the second half but shot wide with only Sirigu to beat. Vucinic didn't even have the goalkeeper to beat, Menez took him out with a centre but the Montenegrin blazed over with the net gaping. Roma paid the price for their shocking finishing and with a centre back pairing of Burdisso and Loria it was only a matter of time. Loria looked like a fool as he appealed for offside when Pinilla ran past him and laid on the equaliser for Hernandez. They combined for the winner, this time Hernandez popped up on the opposite side, ran wide of Riise and shot inside the left post. Vucinic scored with a crisp first time strike from a Borriello back heal. Pastore almost made it 2-4 but was denied by Doni.
Attendance : 33,000
Assists : n/a, Pinilla (won pen), Pinilla, Pinilla, Borriello
MILAN 3 (Seedorf 20 fk, Cassano 54 Pen, Robinho 61)
SAMPDORIA 0
Seedorf gave Milan an early lead with a brilliant low free kick through an almost non existent Samp wall. Pato pulled up with his now customary muscle injury and was replaced by Cassano. I beat Barbara looks great in a nurse's uniform. Volta charged down a Yepes header with his arm and Cassano scored against his former club. Robinho headed in a deflected Cassano cross to complete another thoroughly one sided victory for a Milan side who had 77% possession against an awful Sampdoria.
Attendance : 60,028
Assist : Boateng (won fk), n/a, n/a
PARMA 2 (Giovinco 35, Amauri 86)
INTER 0
Stankovic hit the inside of Mirante's right post with an almost brilliant free kick. Zaccardo swung a ball over to Modesto who was standing inside the left of the penalty area, he pulled it down and laid it off for Giovinco who connected with a fierce left footed drive into the bottom right corner. An excellent touch took Sneijder inside a defender but he dragged his shot wide of the right post. Amauri curled a shot against the crossbar after Zanetti gave away the ball in midfield. Modesto, who was getting a lot of change down Inter's right (Maicon was suspended), also had a hand in the second, Bojinov miss-controlled his centre, Amauri turned onto the ball and held off Cambiasso before firing under Julio Cesar. Milito should have set-up a grandstand finish but shot straight at Mirante from 12 yards and there was still time for Parma to blow chances on the break.
Attendance : 17,504
Assist : Modesto, n/a