1 September 2013

ROMA 3 (Maicon 57, Pjanic 59, Ljajic 66)
VERONA 0

Roma started nervously last week but were on top from the start. They had to wait until the hour mark before taking the lead, Maicon's cross took a wicked deflection off a defender and looped into the bottom corner. Pjanic scored a fabulous second when he lobbed Rafael from 30 yards after he had strayed to the edge of the six yard box. Ljajic, who would have been a Milan player if Galliani wasn't such a fucking idiot, turned onto a pass and smashed a right foot shot in off the left post. He'll prove a worthy replacement for Lamela.

Attendance : 25,000
Assists : n/a, Totti, Pjanic


ATALANTA 2 (Stendardo 57, Lucchini 81)
TORINO 0

Stendardo scrambled the home side in front and Lucchini headed in Cigarini's corner.

Attendance : 15,000
Red Card : Ventura 91 (Coach Atalanta)
Assists : n/a, Cigarini


BOLOGNA 2 (Moscardelli 41, Kone 64)
SAMPDORIA 2 (Eder 25, Gabbiadini 72 fk)

Curci fumbled a ball under no real pressure and Eder pounced to give the visitors the lead. The Undertaker tapped in a rebound after Diamanti's wicked free kick forced Da Cost into a brilliant save. Kone was up to his old tricks and scored another incredible goal, meeting Garics cross with a spectacular scissor kick. Roll out clichés for early contender for goal of the season. Gabbiadini earned a point with a brilliant left footed free kick.

Attendance : 21,000
Assists : n/a, n/a, Garics, n/a


CATANIA 0
INTER 3 (Palacio 20, Nagatomo 57, Alvarez 80)

Palacio tapped in at the back post after excellent work by Jonathan, who cannot defend work a lick. Nagatomo headed in a brilliant low cross and Alvarez burst from the centre circle, destroyed a defender with a rapid change of direction and knocked the ball into the bottom corner.

A great start for Mazzarri which is just what this new look Inter side need. Alvarez has been a figure of fun for journalists but he did fine in his second season and while he lacks pace technically he's brilliant and has super glue stuck to his boots.

Attendance : 13,000
Assists : Jonathan, Palacio, n/a


GENOA 2 (Gilardino 54, Lodi 60 Pen)
FIORENTINA 5 (Aquilani 10, Rossi 14, Gomez 41, Rossi 55, Gomez 90 Pen)

Aquilani gave Fiorentina the lead from a tenth minute corner. Gomez headed down a cross and Rossi caught the ball on the drop with a textbook volley - which nonetheless Perin should have saved. Valero played in Pasqual on the overlap and Gomez turned in his centre to score his first Serie A goal. Gilardino, idiotically let go by Bologna, made with 1-3 with a lovely volley at the back post. Aquilani rolled Valero's cross to the back post for Rossi's second. Compper pulled down Gilardino to concede the penalty. Sampirisi fouled Fernandez to concede Fiorentina's penalty.

Attendance : 22,000
Red Cards : Sampirisi 90 (Genoa), Montella 90 (Coach Fiorentina)
Assists : Valero (ck), Gomez, Pasqual, Matuzalem, Aquilani, Gilardino (won pen), Fernandez (won pen)


MILAN 3 (Robinho 8, Mexes 31, Balotelli 63)
CAGLIARI 1 (Sau 33)

Balotelli held off a defender to fire in a cross, Montolivo nutmegged the ball (possibly not intentionally) and Robinho tapped in at the back post. Agazzi made a brilliant save to deny Balotelli but Mexes volleyed home the rebound. Two minutes later Mexes failed to get tight on Sau as he chased down a throw-in, cut inside the box, sold Mexes two dummies then let rip with a fantastic shot from the edge of the box. Balotelli smashed in from close range after Cagliari failed to clear a terrific Abate cross.

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


SASSUOLO 1 (Zaza 66)
LIVORNO 4 (Greco 43 fk, Emeghara 69, Paulinho 75, Emeghara 86 Pen)

Greco gave Livorno the lead with a brilliant free kick. Zaza, co-owned by Juventus, became the first Sassuolo player to score in Serie A when he headed in Laribi cross. Emeghara, who was outstanding for Siena in the second half of last season, restored Livorno's lead thanks to another goalkeeping mistake. Paulinho fought through a challenge on the right flank before running into the box and squeezing a shot in between two players and into the bottom right corner. Rosati took out Luci to concede the penalty.

Attendance : 20,000
Assists : Emeghara, Laribi, n/a, Biagianti, Luci (won pen)


UDINESE 3 (Badu 12, Heurtaux 72, Muriel 90 Pen)
PARMA 1 (Cassano 82)

Badu charged down a clearance and ran into the box to score his first goal for Udinese and there was also a first goal for Heurtaux, a header from Maicosuel's cross. Cassano headed Parma back into the match but a questionable penalty decision ended hopes of a late comeback.

Attendance : 15,000
Assists : n/a, Maicosuel, Rosi, Lazzari (won pen)


31 August 2013

CHIEVO 2 (Paloschi 24, Paloschi 40)
NAPOLI 4 (Hamsik 13, Callejon 27, Hamsik 64, Higuain 70)

Hamsik continued to fine start to the season when he rifled home from the edge of the box to give Napoli the lead. Hetemaj volleyed a longball across goal and Paloschi tapped in at the back post. The Real Madrid rejects combined to restore Napoli's lead, Higuain chased down a hospital pass and Callejon tapped in his centre. Paloschi nutmegged Reina following some shocking defending from a corner. Puggioni saved brilliantly with his feet to prevent Cesar from scoring an own goal but Hamsik lashed in the rebound. Higuain did what he does best - scored a meaningless goal when he bundled in from close range after Puggioni saved at his feet.

Attendance : 10,031
Assists : Insigne, Hetemaj, Higuain, Sardo, n/a, n/a


JUVENTUS 4 (Vidal 14, Vidal 26, Vucinic 49, Tevez 80)
LAZIO 1 (Klose 28)

Juve put four goals past Lazio for the second time in a fortnight following their Super Cup victory. Pogba played a one-two with Vucinic before chipping a disguised pass into the box which Vidal flicked wide of Marchetti. Vidal lost a hopelessly flat footed Lazio defence to score a second minutes later. Klose tapped in a rebound after Buffon failed to hold from Hernanes, another goalkeeping mistake. The terrible defending continued. Lazio's back four ball watched another Bonucci longball and Vucinic lost Novaretti to beat an exposed Marchetti. Hernanes (who looks like drug cheat Nadal) was sent off for trying to punch the ball past Buffon. Ten minutes after hitting the woodwork Planet of the Apes sold Cana a dummy before wrong footing Marchetti.

Juve made this look ridiculously easy. Lazio have a complex about playing them.

Attendance : 38,041
Red Card : Hernanes 63 (Lazio)
Assists : Pogba, Bonucci, n/a, Bonucci, Vidal