Torino played out an 0–0 draw with RNK Split on Thursday evening in the Europa League play-off round first leg in Croatia.
Both sides had chances to score but it was the performance of the goalkeepers that will see this tie decided in Turin. Daniele Padelli and in particular, Andrija Vukovic shone in what was ultimately a dull affair.
Torino were surely buoyed by their boisterous travelling fans. The Granata faithful created a daunting atmosphere for the home side with their constant singing at the Stadion Park Mladeži.
The first real chance of the game came about as a result of a lovely bit of link up play between Marcelo Larrondo and Barreto was disrupted by a clumsy challenge by Tomislav Glumac on the edge of the box who was then booked. The resulting free kick from Cesare Bovo went high and wide.
Torino were on top in the early stages of the game and showed their dominance 11 minutes in when Omar El Kaddouri played a ball over the top of the defence for Matteo Darmian but he miss-controlled it and was then cleared.
Indeed, Darmian was involved in most of the chances Torino had in the first half. He broke away from his marker down the right before sending the ball through to Larrando whose shot was well covered by Vukovic on 18 minutes.
Then, a few moments later, Torino had a great chance to take the lead following a well worked piece of play around the box, but Guiseppe Vives’ lovely first time pass Darmian was saved by Vukovic.
This spelled the end of the Serie A side’s dominance, as RNK grew in confidence as the first half went on.
This was undeniably clear after Cameroonian Henri Belle’s audacious effort from 35 yards which forced Padelli to make a quick reacting save.
RNK’s top scorer last season Mate Bilic had the best chances of the half from two separate free kicks. On 31 minutes Bilic’s curling effort from 25 yards was saved Padelli in what was a nervous few minutes for Torino.
A cynical challenge from captain Kamil Glik gifted Bilic another chance to give his side the lead. His resulting free kick flew past the wall but was held by Padelli making a diving save on 39 minutes.
RNK started well after the break but as the second went on it became a very scrappy and stagnant game with neither side seeming capable of breaking the deadlock.
On 58 minutes Barreto forced a purely reactionary save from Vukovic after a killer through ball in from new signing Antonio Nocerino.
It was after this that Giampiero Ventura decided to try and change the game bringing on Marco Benassi and Fabio Quagliarella for Nocerino and Barreto repectively.
However it was RNK who almost took the lead after Vidovic played athrough ball into the path of Bilic whose strike was well saved by Padelli.
Quagliarella did make somewhat of a difference. He took the ball down quickly from a mishit clearance onto his left foot but Vukovic put the ball out for a corner.
Torino had a penalty shout 10 minutes from time after Quagliarella went down in the six yard box, but while there was some contact the former Juventus man dramatic fall may have put doubt in the referee’s mind.
