Saturday, 19 November 2011
Inter – Cagliari
Inter have claimed their second home win of the campaign by defeating Cagliari 2-1 at the Giuseppe Meazza on Saturday evening. After a slow start by both sides, it was the Nerazzurri that had the opening chance, when Giampaolo Pazzini made a neat turn on the edge of the box, and fired a powerful at Michele Agazzi. The ‘keeper was on again required to keep Mauro Zarate’s curling free-kick out.
It took 54 minutes for Thiago Motta to give the home side the lead when Ricardo Alvarez’s cross whipped from the left was volleyed home from six yards. And the lead was then doubled six minutes later as Philippe Coutinho smashed a well-placed shot from from just inside the area.
Joaquin Larrivey kept Inter fans on the edge of their seats with only minutes to go in the match as he deflected Radja Nainggolan attempt on goal past Julio Cesar, making it 2-1.
Inter 2-1 Cagliari
Fiorentina – AC Milan
Fiorentina can thank goalkeeper Artur Boruc for keeping a clean scoresheet, as he made several key saves to deny Milan victory. Clarence Seedorf thought he had come close to opening the deadlock, after he did find the back of the net, but his goal was chalked off for offside. Alexandre Pato and Urby Emanuelson had two great chances to give the Rossoneri the lead within the space of a minute, but both failed to score.
Fiorentina 0-0 AC Milan
Napoli – Lazio
Federico Marchetti ensured the spoils would be shared between Lazio and Napoli when the Biancocelesti shot-stopper blocked Ezequiel Lavezzi’s last-minute attempt on goal. The first half was a quiet affair, with hardly a shot on goal, but after the interval, the match picked up in pace and action. The hosts went looking to open the scoring through Lavezzi, but after several attempts, could not get past the former Cagliari ‘keeper, meaning the match ended in a draw.
Napoli 0-0 Lazio
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Bologna – Cesena
Cesena have ended their 10-match non-winning streak by claiming their first win of the season, defeating Bologna 1-0. Marco Parolo was the difference on the scoreboard, but the Seahorses’ fans had to wait until the 84th minute to celebrate. The italian international’s powerfully-driven shot flying past Jean-Francois Gillet. Gaston Ramirez came close twice to levelling the scores late on, but failed to finish.
Bologna 0-1 Cesena
Catania – Chievo
Catania suffered only it’s third loss of the season, going down 2-1 to Chievo.
Nicolas Spolli brought down Gialloblu captain Sergio Pellissier prior to half-time, and the speedy forward ensured the side entered the break with the lead. Chievo then made it 2-0 as Paolo Sammarco tapped the ball home on 73 minutes.
Catania ensured a tight finish as Sergio Almiron fired home a powerful attempt five minutes later, but the away team held on to claim their first win on the road this season.
Catania 1-2 Chievo
Genoa – Novara
Genoa claimed maximum points against Novara thanks to a solitary strike from Miguel Veloso on 86 minutes. His sweetly-timed shot from the edge of the box lifted the Grifoni to seventh place.
Both teams ended the match with 10 men as Luca Antonelli was given his marching order for deliberately fouling Andrea Mazzarani, and Riccardo Meggiorini received his second yellow card of the match.
Genoa 1-0 Novara
Juventus – Palermo
Juventus regained top spot in the standings with a convincing 3-0 win over Palermo on Sunday. Giorgio’s Chiellini’s cross from the left pinpointed Simone Pepe’s head in the box, and he made no mistake getting it past Alexandros Tzorvas to make it 1-0 on 20 minutes.
The Bianconeri could have made it 2-0 before half-time, but Andrea Pirlo’s attempt went the wrong side of the post.
Aleesandro Matri, though, made sure the margin grew when he found the back of the net three minutes after the break. Stephan Lichsteiner’s through pass was met by the Italian international, who beat Tzorvas. Claudio Marchisio rounded the scoring after 65 minutes when he finished off Mirko Vucinic’s low-cross from the left.
Juventus 3-0 Palermo
Parma – Udinese
Parma claimed a shock win at home to league-leaders Udinese thanks to goals from Jonathan Biabiany and Sebastian Giovinco. The Gialloblu fans had to wait until 58 minutes to celebrate when the Frenchman capitalised on poor defending from a corner to open the scoring.
Giovinco confirmed the three points when he slotted home from the penalty spot. Biabiany was brought down by Dusan Basta, and the ‘Atomic Ant’ fired home, grabbing his seventh goal of the season.
Parma 2-0 Udinese
Siena – Atalanta
Siena and Atalanta played out a 2-2 draw at the Artemio Franchi. German Denis converted his chance from the penalty spot after 15 minutes. when he was brought down by Gianluca Pegolo. But another penalty at the other end of the pitch squared proceedings, when Nerazzurri captain Thomas Manfredini upended Marcelo Larrondo, and Gaetano D’Agostino slotted the ball home from the resulting spot-kick.
Denis bagged a brace for the game when he connected with Cristian Raimondi’s cross and headed to once again restore the lead. Alessandro Gazzi made sure the points were shared when he scored with three minutes to go from a corner kick.
Siena 2-2 Atalanta
Roma – Lecce
Miralem Pjanic and Fernando Gago ensured a wasteful Roma claimed victory against Lecce on Sunday evening 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Bosnian international found the back of the net on 24 minutes when Rodrigo Taddei played a low-ball through the box for the former Lyon player to run onto and score.
Roma fans had to wait until the second half to feel somewhat secure about their lead when Gago rifled a rocketing low shot past Julio Sergio from outside the box to make it 2-0.
Andrea Bertolacci capitalised on a deflected pass and delicately chipped over the advancing Maarten Stekelenburg to ensure it was game on with 30 minutes remaining.
But Eusebio Di Francesco’s men could not find an equaliser, meaning the Lupi move into fifth place on 17 points.
Roma 2-1 Lecce
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This article was originally posted by Rick D’Andrea
