Bottom-placed Catania thumped over high-flying Roma 4-1 at the Stadio Angelo Massimino on Sunday afternoon in Serie A.
A double from Mariano Izco plus goals from Gonzalo Bergessio and Pablo Barrientos did the damage for the Rossazzurri, while Francesco Totti’s strike proved little more than a consolation for the visitors.
Both sides went into the game needing a win to keep alive slim hopes of achieving vastly differing targets.
A defeat for Catania would see them relegated to Serie B after eight years in the top flight whereas anything other than three points for Roma would hand the title to Juventus.
The opening 15 minutes of the game saw little in the way of goalmouth action with Roma just edging possession and the home side looking to get the ball forward quickly to Bergessio when possible.
The first shot on goal came after 18 minutes from Alessandro Florenzi who got free in the penalty area after some good build-up play by the Giallorossi, but the midfielder could only shoot straight at Alberto Frison in the home goal.
The Elefanti’s positive approach of breaking quickly paid off on 26 minutes when a swift counter attack ended with Sebastian Leto back-heeling excellently for Izco to open the scoring, placing a low shot to the left of Morgan De Sanctis.
The committed pressing game and rapid counter attacking of Maurizio Pellegrino’s men seemed to be unsettling Roma and the Sicilians doubled their lead after 34 minutes.
Another direct run forward saw the ball fall to Izco at the back post who lashed home for his and Catania’s second of the game.
Just three minutes later Rudi Garcia’s men came to life when Florenzi found an unmarked Francesco Totti in the penalty area who had the easy task of beating Frison to pull a goal back for the visitors.
During the stoppage in play following the goal Rudi Garcia took the opportunity to make a substitution, bringing Gervinho on for Rodrigo Taddei in an attacking move.
An entertaining first half ended with Catania leading 2-1 and the likes of Izco, Leto and Bergessio really troubling the second-placed side on the break.
The home side started the second half in the same manner they finished the first, working hard and getting forward at every opportunity.
They were again rewarded after 55 minutes when Leto’s powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area could only be parried out to Bergessio who slotted past De Sanctis to give his side an almost unimaginable 3-1 lead.
This prompted Garcia to again ring the changes and Michel Bastos and Mehdi Benatia were introduced off the bench with Adem Ljajic and Leandro Castan making way.
Roma were displaying little of the form that has propelled them to a record total of 85 points this season and with 70 minutes gone their only meaningful effort on goal in the second half had been a long range shot from Bastos that was well saved by Frison.
If 3-1 was unimaginable, the home supporters were in dreamland on 79 minutes when Barrientos smashed a left footed drive past De Sanctis from just outside the penalty area to make it 4-1.
The build up from Izco and Bergessio typified the understanding that Catania’s attacking players had exhibited all afternoon and the finish from Barrientos was no more than the Argentine deserved.
The match played out to a finish and a famous victory for Catania keeps their survival hopes alive and hands the 2013-14 Serie A title to Juventus.
