Posted on Monday, 6th February 2012 by Kevin Tarbuck

Just six fixtures managed to survive the big freeze this weekend, with league leaders and second placed given an unscheduled weekend off. Varese gave their chances of claiming a play-off berth a boost with victory at , while a point for Empoli lifts them out of the drop zone. Struggling claimed a crucial victory at , while ’s long suffering support savoured a victory over .

 

Albinoleffe 1 – 2 Varese

A brace from Pablo Mariano Granoche made it back to back wins for play-off hopefuls Varese.

The visitors took the lead inside five minutes, with Granoche beating the offside trap to latch onto Gianpietro Zecchin’s perfectly weighted through ball, before rounding Albinoleffe keeper Andrea Angelo Offredi and steering the ball home from an acute angle.

The home side created a number of chances throughout the first half, and claimed a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half time.

Andrea Cocco headed Pierre Giorgio Regonesi’s deep free kick into the box back across the face of goal, where Domenico Germinale controlled with his chest and volleyed home in superb style.

Albinoleffe should have gone in ahead at the break, but Mario Pacilli’s header from close range bounced into the turf, and over the bar.

Varese looked livelier in the second half, and retook the lead on the hour mark, Granoche capitalising on some calamitous defending before placing the ball in the bottom corner with a right-footed shot.

The home side showed little sign of equalising for a second time, with substitute Omar Torri firing wildly over from distance, and the visitors held on for the points.

 

Empoli 1 – 1 Crotone

Antonio Busce’s second half equaliser lifted Empoli out of the relegation zone with a hard fought point.

Massimo Maccarone went close to giving the Tuscans the lead, heading just wide of the post after connecting with Riccardo Saponara’s cross.

Crotone took the lead in the 13th minute with a majestic finish from Nicola Domenico Sansone, who somehow managed to connect with a looping ball into the box by hooking it over his shoulder and into the top corner whilst turning in mid-air.

Maccarone again went close, with Crotone keeper Vid Belec managing to push his headed effort onto the bar to keep the visitors ahead at the break.

In the second half, Denilson Martinho Gabionetta went close to extending the visitor’s lead, shooting wide from just outside the area.

The equaliser arrived with just over 15 minutes remaining, with Busce powerfully heading home from close range following a looping corner into the box.

Having restored parity, the home side pushed for the winner, and second half substitute Levan Mchedlidze unleashed a left footed strike from distance that crashed agonisingly off the crossbar.

Maccarone was again denied by Belec, and the game finished all square, leaving Empoli looking nervously over their shoulders.

 

Grosseto 0 – 1 Sampdoria

A second half strike from substitute Pasquale Foggia gave Sampdoria the points that keep distance between themselves and the relegation scrap, whilst also keeping alive their fading play-off hopes.

The visitors dominated proceedings in the first half without ever really threatening to take the lead. Eder showed neat footwork in the box, but was muscled out by Martin Petras before he could get his shot away.

Eder had then had claims for a penalty waved away after he appeared to have been struck on the thigh by Petras, but the Brazilian forward went to ground far too cheaply, and referee Riccardo Pinzani remained unimpressed.

Nicola Pozzi then failed to get a good connection with a right foot volley, and the ball sailed harmlessly past the post to keep the scores level at the break.

The deadlock was broken in the 66th minute, with Foggia rifling in a shot from outside the area following a neat passing move.

Gianni Munari should have doubled the advantage soon after, but his header from inside the area lacked power, and was straight at Grosseto keeper Antonio Narciso.

In the second minute of injury time, Andrea Rispoli received his second caution of the game following a poor challenge on Petras, but it came too late to affect the outcome, and Sampdoria held on for the points.

 

Juve Stabia 1 – 2 Livorno

Livorno came from behind to claim a vital victory in their quest to beat the drop into Lega Pro.

The home side took the lead in the tenth minute, when Marco Sau launched a deep cross into the Livorno box, which was cleared only to Fabio Caserta on the edge of the area, and his low drive managed to find the bottom corner through a sea of defenders.

The lead lasted just ten minutes, with Federico Dionisi placing a cross into the path of Paulinho, who controlled well before arrowing a shot into the bottom corner.

Dionisi then gave the Tuscan side the lead with a stupendous shot from outside the area that left Juve Stabia keeper Andrea Seculin grasping at thin air.

The visitors were then denied a third, when Luca Siligardi’s long range strike struck the post, before Paulinho poked home the rebound. However, the Brazilian was adjudged to have been in an offside position when the initial shot was hit.

In the second half, Siligardi again hit the post with a fierce drive from the edge of the area, before Simone Sini was given a straight red card for a poor challenge on Sau.

However, the home side could not make numerical advantage count, with Tomas Danilevicius heading over from close range, and substitute Tommaso Ceccarelli attempting an acrobatic overhead kick that was easily saved by Francesco Bardi.

Sau mystifyingly struck wide from yards out with the goal at his mercy, and Livorno held on for three points that could go a long way to keeping them up.

 

1 -1

Roberto Merino Ramirez’s equaliser thirteen minutes from time gave rock bottom Nocerina a point that does little to aid their own cause, but dented Bari’s hopes of making the play-offs.

The visitors went close to taking the lead when Francesco Caputo found himself one on one with Nocerina keeper Emanuele Concetti, but saw his point blank strike well saved.

Adrian Stoian saw a similarly powerful effort from the edge of the box pushed wide by Concetti, as the visitors pushed hard for the opener.

The deadlock was duly broken in the 33rd minute, when Nocerina failed to clear a free kick into the area, which Fernando Martin Forestieri nodded down into the path of Caputo to smash home from close range.

In the second half, Maikol Negro went close to an equaliser when his close range header was parried back to him by Eugenio Lamanna, but he could only stab the rebound wide of the post.

Caputo then saw his deflected header tipped over the bar by Concetti, whose stunning performance was singlehandedly keeping the home side in it, and the visitors were made to pay when Ramirez deftly lifted the ball over the reach of an outrushing Lamanna to level the scores.

Nocerina could have won it late on, but Luigi Castaldo’s bullet header from inside the box forced a miraculous save from Lamanna, and the points were shared.

 

Padova 0 – 0

The spoils were shared in this battle between fourth and fifth place, with both sides now looking destined to secure a play-off place come the season’s end.

Simone Bentivoglio went close to putting the home side ahead, but his dipping free kick from distance went inches wide of the post.

Aniello Cutolo then forced a fine point blank save from Verona keeper Rafael as he looked to punish some slack defending from the Gialloblu.

Verona’s best chance of the half fell to Nicola Ferrari, but his effort from just inside the box was well snuffed out, and the sides stayed level at the break.

In the second half, Padova’s Michele Marcolini placed a header just wide of the post, before Cutolo volleyed wildly over from a good position as the home side pushed for an opener.

Ferrari then went close for the visitors, before Panagiotis Tachtsidis somehow struck the bar direct from an in swinging corner.

Simone Bentivoglio then fired a long range effort over, and the sides had to settle for a point apiece that does little for either sides hopes of automatic promotion.

For all the latest Serie A news don’t forget to check out the news section of Forza Italian Football.

Join Forza Italian Football on Twitter and Facebook.


We are always looking for new writers, so if you think you know Calcio, email us: forzaitalianfootball@snack-media.com
Buffer

Related posts:

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Bari, Brescia, Hellas Verona, Pescara, Sampdoria, Serie A, Serie B, Torino | Comments (0)

Leave a Reply