The quest for a place in Serie A took several further twists this midweek as a number of the leading sides dropped crucial points.
League leaders Palermo came into their clash with Siena on the back of a four game winning streak, but the Tuscan side arrived in Sicily in a similarly rich vein of form and would have sat second in the table were it not for the seven points worth of deductions they had accumulated throughout the season.
The visitors took the lead in hugely controversial circumstances 20 minutes in. Goalscorer Valerio Rosseti appeared to handle the ball into the path of teammate Leonardo Spinazzola before the pair raced towards goal in a move that culminated in Rosseti tucking a clinical strike into the bottom corner.
A fine finish it may have been, but it was an error on the part of referee Emilio Ostinelli not to halt play for Rosetti’s earlier indiscretion. Nevertheless, the Rosanero were soon level when Kyle Lafferty profiting from some dreadful goalkeeping from Eugenio Lamanna to steer home his ninth and possibly easiest goal of the campaign.
Lamanna atoned for his error with a stunning point blank save to deny Lafferty his second of the match, whilst the Northern Irishman then struck the base of the post as Palermo pushed for a half time lead.
A second half of few clear cut chances followed, with Palermo’s Francesco Bolzoni coming closest to winning it with a long range effort that sailed wide of Lamanna’s left hand post, and both sides were left to be content with what could yet prove to be a useful point apiece.
It was enough to extend the Rosanero’s lead at the top of the table to ten points after Empoli’s incredibly erratic form continued with a shock 1-0 defeat to Varese.
The Tuscan side are not playing particularly badly at the moment, but a lack of fortune in front of goal was evident when a first half effort from Massimo Maccarone struck the crossbar, with a diving header from Nnamdi Oduamadi proving their undoing on the hour mark.
Meanwhile Sicily may soon be able to boast the top two sides in the division as Trapani’s miraculous first Serie B campaign continued with a 1-0 win away at Spezia that took them to third and to within a point of Empoli.
Crotone meanwhile moved up to fourth thanks to a 1-0 win over Virtus Lanciano courtesy of Federico Bernardeschi’s second half winner. Elsewhere, Cesena stayed sixth after a goalless draw at Bari while Avellino climbed back into the top eight with a 1-1 draw at Carpi.
Dropping out of the play-off placed were Latina, beaten 2-0 at home to Serse Cosmi’s resurgent Pescara, the Delfini moving to within a point of the play-offs themselves as a result. Modena’s hopes of gate-crashing the play-off party were dealt a blow meanwhile after Antonio Barilla’s injury time equaliser saw them held to a 2-2 draw at Reggina.
Further down the table, Brescia picked up a much needed three points with a 1-0 win away at Cittadella, Novara and Ternana played out a 1-1 draw, as did Juve Stabia and Padova, two sides who look destined to be playing in the third tier next season.
