STADIO ENNIO TARDINI (PARMA) – Ten-man Torino fell just short of leaving Parma with a point on Monday evening as they battled bravely until being killed off by Roberto Inglese’s 88th-minute winner.
It was a game that had everything. Two penalties were awarded after VAR intervention – Gervinho missing Parma’s before Andrea Belotti scored Toro’s – Gleison Bremer was dismissed in the first half, the lead changed hands three times, Dejan Kulusevski continued to impress, and substitute Inglese bagged a late clincher.
There was more late drama at the Tardini this evening as Bobby English arrived late for Parma as they broke ten-man Torino's resistance.@ConJClancy was there to see it for #FIFattheGames.
Report ? https://t.co/d2p8wXfC2r#ParmaTorino #SerieA pic.twitter.com/jqO6BJchSu
— ForzaItalianFootball (@SerieAFFC) September 30, 2019
It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken. Gervinho got beyond Toro’s backline inside two minutes and beat Salvatore Sirigu with a prod in the general direction of goal, from where Kulusevski opened his Crociati account.
The early excitement didn’t stop though and the Granata levelled just ten minutes later. Parma’s defence was anything but organised as the visitors broke from defending a corner and despite Bruno Alves’ best instructions, the hosts were slow to close down and pick up their men. Simone Verdi picked out Cristian Ansaldi at the back post, which Riccardo Gagliolo had left vacant, and he headed back across into Luigi Sepe’s far corner.
Parma were then awarded another penalty courtesy of VAR. Kulusevski attempted a curled effort which Gleison Bremer blocked, but replays showed it had his his arm, as the home fans and players so loudly claimed it had. Gervinho stepped up to take it with his right foot and, just as Roberto Inglese did last week, he saw his effort saved.
Torino were given a penalty themselves thanks to VAR intervention. As Belotti was trying to get on the end of the cross, he was caught by Vincent Laurini’s elbow. Federico La Penna took another look on the pitchside monitor and awarded the spot kick, which Il Gallo himself converted.
Half time arrived but not before the Gialloblu levelled. Kulusevski found space in the centre circle from a throw in and broke. Approaching area, the Swede slipped a pinpoint ball through to Andreas Cornelius and with Sirigu approaching he powered his strike in off the crossbar.
The second half started as manically as the first. Kulusevski helped put Gervinho in but the Ivorian was again denied by Sirigu before Hernani had a header clip the crossbar seconds later.
Toro could have gone ahead again but a ball that found Belotti in front of goal got stuck under his feet before Armando Izzo’s follow-up effort was stopped by Sepe.
Inglese arrived late on and he had the last laugh. After being left out of the starting XI by Roberto D’Aversa, the No.9 came on and was in the right place at the right time to finish when a loose ball evaded Cornelius in front of goal.
Walter Mazzarri was also shown red in the dying moments as the Granata coach got typically over-animated in his protestations and saw a second yellow card.
