In the final day of Pot A action, Palermo sealed their sport as Group 1 winners with a excellent 2-0 win over PSV Eindhoven, stretching their Viareggio Cup unbeaten run to nine matches, as they were only eliminated from the 2014 tournament on penalties by Anderlecht in the semi-final stage.
Giovanni Bosi’s men had Accursio Bentivegna to thank as another masterful display from the forward saw him score the opener for Palermo, leaving him topscorer in the tournament on four goals. Fabrizio Scimò bagged the second.
Despite that defeat the Dutch side went through in second place as AC Milan lost their opening two matches. In their third game against A.P.I.A Leichhardt, the Rossoneri could only manage a 1-1 draw, and went behind midway through the first half, before Ivan Rondanini rescued a point.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qNjN9l3eA8[/youtube]
In Group 2, a goal in the second minute of time added on ensured Atalanta went through to the knockout phase. La Dea were leading Vicenza 2-0 in the dying moments of the game, and even though Bari were losing 4-2 to Club Brugge, with Dylan Seys grabbing a brace, the Galletti would have qualified via a better head-to-head record.
However, Anton Kresic popped up to score in the 47th minute of the second half to give Atalanta a better goal difference – by one goal – and this passage to the next round of the competition.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RwxxGkISm8[/youtube]
Finally, Napoli beat L.I.A.C New York 1-0, and Hellas Verona overcame Pakhtakor 2-0 as both clubs ensured they would be in the elimination phase. Pierluigi Cappelluzzo got Verona’s first and third as they topped Group 3.
Two games weren’t played with Fiorentina v Cremonese, and Nordsjaelland v Cesena both falling foul to the weather and will be played on Saturday at 11:30am CET.
