Genoa 0-2 Catania: Wasteful Grifone made to rue missed opportunities

Date: 20th January 2013 at 4:59pm
Written by:

Genoa lost at home for the sixth time this season in Serie A as they went down 2-0 against Catania at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Goals from Gonzalo Bergessio and Pablo Barrientos seeled the win for the Sicilians as Genoa failed to make the most of some excellent chances in the first half.

After an initial bright start and early chance for Marco Borriello, Catania opened the scoring after four minutes.  An excellent diagonal pass found Alejandro Gomez who squared the ball for Bergessio to tap in from six yards out to score his sixth league goal of the campaign.

Just moments later Genoa should have been level.  A right wing cross found Borriello in space six yards out but somehow he managed to balloon the ball over the crossbar with the keeper stranded.

Catania were content to sit deep and frustrated the Rossoblu, who’s passing was poor in the opening 20 minutes.

In the 24th minute Borriello almost atoned for his embarrassing early miss.  His diving header from the edge of the box was tipped wide by Mariano Andujar in the Catania goal.  From the resulting corner Thomas Manfredini headed just wide when he should have hit the target.

Genoa dominated possession but struggled to create chances.  Borriello’s overhead kick in the 36th minute, which was comfortably saved by Andujar, was the best Luigi Del Neri’s side could muster until the 44th minute when they should have brought the score level.

The ball broke for Ciro Immobile who held off his marker well but the young striker dragged his shot wide from just inside the area.

In the opening period of the second half Genoa were unable to keep up the pressure they had exerted in the final minutes of the first half and Catania began to get on top and control possession.  Del Neri responded by throwing on Marco Rossi and Antonio Floro Flores, going with three strikers up front.

Both teams continued to be wasteful in possession and the home side especially were wasteful from set pieces as well.

In the 73rd minute the away side should have wrapped up the game.  Bergessio found himself in acres of space and almost looked as if he expected an offside flag as he made a mess of a clear cut one-on-one opportunity with Sebastien Frey.

Genoa simply couldn’t string a series of passes together and it was the Elefanti who looked more likely to score as the game entered the final 15 minutes.

Catania carved out another opportunity to double their lead with ten minutes to play but substitute Adrian Ricchiuti blazed his shot over the bar from 12 yards.

In the 85th minute Catania finally killed the game off.  Floro Flores was caught in possession and Catania broke forward quickly.

With no challange coming in Mariano Izco carried the ball forward before picking out Pablo Barrientos on the right corner of the penalty area.  His placed shot should have been saved but Andrea Granqvist seemed to block Frey’s view as he attempted to get a block in, leaving the ball to slip past them both and into the far corner to make it 2-0.

 Follow Michael Clarkson on Twitter: @M_Clarkson

 

Comments are closed.