10 November 2013

ATALANTA 2 (Brivio 73, Livaja 93)
BOLOGNA 1 (Bianchi 76)

Curci was (but should not have been) beaten by a speculative shot from 25 yards. Bianchi headed in a rebound after Cristaldo crashed a header off the underside of the crossbar. Another howler by Curci handed Atalanta all three points and given the past of both teams I can't help wondering there was someone fishy about this result.

Attendance : 14,000
Assists : Baselli, n/a, Baselli


CAGLIARI 2 (Conti 43, Conti 88)
TORINO 1 (Immobile 52)

Conti drilled a free kick low into the bottom left corner, which Padelli should have saved. A fine finish drew Torino level but Conti won the match with an absolute crackerjack of a shot. Cossu touched a free kick to his right and Conti hit the ball with such force both his feet left the air as it almost tore a hole into the roof of the net.

Attendance : 7,500
Assists : Sau (won fk), El Kaddouri, Cossu


CHIEVO 0
MILAN 0

Attendance : 11,000
Red Cards : Montolivo 83 (Milan), Pellissier 91 (Cagliari)
Assists : n/a


PARMA 1 (Lucarelli 64)
LAZIO 1 (Keita 50)

Lazio's 18 year old Senegalese striker showed wonderful footwork to score his first ever Serie A goal. He touched a loose ball past as defender, flicked it around goalkeeper Mirante then tapped into an empty net. Lucarelli headed in the equaliser at the near post.

Attendance : 12,000
Red Card : Rosi 86 (Parma)
Assists : n/a, Sansone (ck)


ROMA 1 (Longhi 19 og)
SASSUOLO 1 (Berardi 94)

Pegolo parried Florenzi's shot out to Longhi and he somehow managed to lob his own goalkeeper when attempting to clear. Deep into injury time Roma failed to clear a cross and teen sensation Berardi smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Berardi is on loan from Juventus and if he gets into double figures, and I don't see how he won't, it will be a surprise if he isn't in the first team next season ahead of Quagliarella and Vucinic. Injuries and suspensions have cost Roma dear in recent weeks. Going into a season with only two recognised strikers (Boriello and Destro) wasn't the best of ideas.

Attendance : 46,052
Assists : n/a, n/a


FIORENTINA 2 (Rossi 11 Pen, Rossi 18)
SAMPDORIA 1 (Gabbiadini 74)

Fiorentina got their customary bullshit penalty. They're the biggest divers in Serie A. There was nothing controversial about Fiorentina second, Rossi whipped a left foot shot into the top corner from the edge of the box. Gabbiadini got between two defenders and shot hard across goal to pull one back. Mustafi should have equalised but his header flashed past the right post.

Attendance : 28,305
Assists : Aquilani (won pen), Valero, Eder


JUVENTUS 3 (Llorente 2, Pirlo 74, Pogba 80)
NAPOLI 0

It didn't take long for shithouse Benitez' tactical game plan to go up in smoke. Isla's speculative shot clipped off Tevez' heels and Llorente stabbed the ball past Reina. Pirlo doubled Juve's lead with a ridiculous free kick. He took two steps and sent the ball flying over the wall before violently dipping inside the top right corner. Magnificent. Pogba who is rapidly on his way to becoming the best midfielder walking Earth inadvertently flicked up Vidal's pass due to a heavy first tough then steadied himself before crashing a right foot volley in off the right post. Stunning goal and a fitting way to end a game in which Juve well and truly flexed their muscles and made Napoli look like chumps.

All of Napoli's big guns were awful but that's been par for the course away from home, even under Mazzarri. It's at the other end Napoli have problems.

Attendance : 41,068
Red Card : Ogbonna 83 (Juventus)
Assists : Tevez, Tevez (won fk), Vidal


9 November 2013

CATANIA 1 (Lopez 30 Pen)
UDINESE 0

Attendance : 12,986
Assist : Legrottaglie (won pen)


INTER 2 (Bardi 30 og, Nagatomo 91)
LIVORNO 0

Livorno's goalkeeper, a consistent weak link, let a Jonathan centre slip through his fingers. Zanetti marked his return from a career ending injury mid-way through the second half in style, he spun away from Schiattarella as he cut in from he right and passed to Kovacevic, with his back to play he turned his marker, rode Banassi's tackle from behind, shaped to go right then took the ball onto his left foot as he dribbled away from Ceccherini then flicked a pass between two defenders to Nagatomo. Extraordinary assist. Shades of Savicevic.

Attendance : 39,775
Assists : n/a, Kovacevic


GENOA 2 (Portanova 29, Kucka 35)
VERONA 0

Portonova headed in Matuzalem's corner and Kucka ensured Verona's away day misery continued six minutes later when he headed in one of the most sumptuous crosses you will ever see from Matuzalem. The trajectory of the ball was so good it looked like CGI. It was Genoa's third successive victory and all without conceding. I always had faith in Gasperini.

Attendance : 19,760
Assists : Matuzalem (ck), Matuzalem