Palermo played out a 2-2 draw with Torino at the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Wednesday night’s Serie A action.
First half goals from Roberto Vitiello and Luca Rigoni were not enough to secure the Rosanero a win as Bruno Peres and Maxi Lopez ensured a draw for the side from Turin.
The home side made an impressive start to the game, flying off the mark by taking the lead no more than ten-minutes into the game as Roberto Vitiello pounced onto a flick-on from a corner, with both legs stuck out.
The Italian steamed into the area and found himself unmarked, making smooth contact with the ball from Sinisa Andelkovic’s flick, sending it past the stunned Padelli.
However the celebrations were to be short lived as the goal miraculously sparked Torino back into life, warning signs becoming more apparent despite a wild shot from Cristian Molinaro spinning uncontrollably wide.
Eventually Peres was the man to tie up the scoreline for the visitors, finding the reply goal just minutes after Vitiello’s opener as Fabio Quagliarella miss hit as shot which fell nicely to the Brazilian who stretched out a leg and drilled the ball into the bottom of the net.
From then on Torino looked the side most likely to take the next goal as they heavily advanced on goal.
Josef Martinez had a glaring chance to put his side ahead but fired with little precision, drawing an easy save for Stefano Sorrentino and forgoing a glorious chance.
Further attacks on goal proved too easy for the Palermo defence and were quelled without difficulty, which left the Granata open and ready to be punished for their inefficiency.
Luca Rigoni did just as such by smacking a well timed volley into the roof of the net; the Moroccan Achraf Lazaar moved into space on the left hand side of the pitch and managed to float in a delightful cross to the on-rushing Rigoni who made no mistake from yards out, restoring the Rosanero’s one goal margin.
Matters almost become much worse for Toro as Franco Vazquez hit a curling shot that required the full attention of Padelli who managed to get a finger on it, though the danger didn’t end there as Palermo almost added to their lead from the resulting corner as Andelkovic agonisingly struck the crossbar, much to the relief of the opposing defence.
Giampiero Ventura’s side survived the late scares of the first half, and were rewarded for such with an equalizer from substitute Maxi Lopez, the Argentinian duly latching on to the end of a cross at the back post.
Both side’s continued to miss chances in order to surpass one another, Maxi Lopez an inch away from collecting his second of the game while Dybala narrowly missed after a bad connection with the ball.
Lopez then had the ball in the back of the net again just minutes from time, but despite originally granting the goal, the referee called it back on the grounds of a foul committed prior to the forward heading it in.
Thenceforth neither side managed to create clear cut chances, seeing out the game as a draw.
The result leaves Torino just points behind a European Spot, while Giuseppe Iachini’s Palermo continue to consolidate their mid-table position.
