Monday, 26 November 2012

THE WEEKEND IN ITALY






Matchday 14 started on Saturday on an Entertaining note, with Palermo entertaining Catania at their home stadium The Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo. The Home team got off to a terrific start with a goal from their talisman forward Fabrizio Miccoli in the 10th minute. In the second half Palermo ran away with the spoils as Brienza and Josip Ilicic combined twice in 10 minutes to give Palermo a 3-0 lead and Ilicic a brace. Canani got a consolation goal 20 minutes from time, and that’s how the scores stayed. 3-1 the final score.
Sundays’ games proved to be largely boring and Cagey affairs, with 4 of the 6 games played ending with 1-0 wins and 1 ending in a scoreless stalemate. But despite the goal drought, 2 games provided the Drama we so desperately wanted. The most anticipated match in Serie A this weekend, as Juventus travelled to Milan aiming to compound the woes of Allegri and his men this season. However lady luck was having none of that, as the Rossoneri were handed a controversial penalty from an Isla handball that ultimately sealed the win. Robinho who had gotten the starting job ahead of Bojan stepped up to take the penalty, forcing it past Buffon into the bottom left corner.  The Bianconeri problems with strikers continue, as they have no consistent go to talisman in the box. Quagliarella was substituted for the smaller Giovinco who had no immediate impact on proceedings. Milan held their own against a blunt Juventus side, and forcibly started Juventus on a Losing streak against the Milanese Giants (Inter and AC Milan).
The most understated game of the weekend was the most exciting with 4 goals scored and split equally between both teams. Fiorentina was flying under the radar to The Stadio Olimpico di Torino to face Torino who are trying to claw their way to the Top half of the standings. A first half Goal from  Allesio Cerci put the hosts in  the driving seat going into the break, but an end that saw 3 goals scored in 10 minutes by both sides showed both teams were desperate to get all three points or at the very least not lose all three points. An equalizer from the spot saw the visitors level matters in the 74th minute and all most immediately the host took the lead again, this time from substitute Valter Birsa in the 76th minute.  The visitors pushed and got and equalizer in the 84th  minute from substitute striker El Hamdaoui. And all square was how it ended on Sunday afternoon in Torino.
The weekends other Games saw an Inconsistent yet at times magnificent AS Roma grab a much needed win at Pescara as an early goal from Mattia Destro in the 5th minute was enough to see the visitors through. Also Genoa travelled to Bergamo to face Atlanta where a goal shortly before half time was all that separated the teams. Sampdoria entertained Bologna for yet another 1-0 win over the week. A second half goal was all the hosts needed to secure all three points. Lastly Siena travelled to face Chievo that ended in a scoreless stalemate.
Matchday 14 is not over yet, let’s hope that over the next 2 days the 3 games left can take heal the boredom we faced on Sunday. On Monday, Inter travel to Parma, while Parma will be fighting tooth and nail to win on home ground and stay in the top half, Inter will be looking to cut Juventus’ lead at the top to 1 point. Also on Monday Napoli will be the away side as they take on Cagliari. On Tuesday match day 14 ends with Lazio and Udinese, with Lazio on home turf.

*Written by Eboreime Phillip Ohioma (@ohioflintstones)

1 comment:

  1. Controversial penalty or not, Juve didn't play like a team that had any intensions of winning or had anything a stake. Congrats Milan,let's hope this is the begining of new things!!!

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