 10-12-06, 06:47 PM | #15 (permalink) |
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  Torino - Catania 23rd of August 2006 Stadio Olimpico, Turin Coppa Italia 2006/2007 - 2nd Qualifying Round     19'  Elvis Abbruscato - 87'  Ellery Cairo
Elvis Abbruscato scored a goal and wore goalkeeper gloves during Torino's 1:0 cup win in a match where both Torino and Catania ended up with just ten players.
Toro had no players missing from the ranks as they were preparing to see how good they are againist a fellow Serie A side as Catania also opted to start with best XI. Though there was one change in Torino side as Cedric Konan started the match this time.
Andre Zuba, Gianluca Comotto, Iacopo Balestri, Raffaele Schiavi & Massimo Taibi got new numbers for themselves.
The game started off fast with Catania having two dangerous attacks in the first ten minutes, but the more dangerous one, Giorgio Corona header in the first minute already was saved fantasticaly by young Andre Zuba, who is continuing to impress the fans.
Torino soon started to find their way into the game aswell and it didn't take long before the attack ended up succesful. Nikola Lazetic sent his corner kick into the near post, where Elvis Abbruscato scored his fifth goal in the Coppa Italia already by heading it in.
 Abbruscato left unmarked for a goal
And just minutes after Abbruscato was in role of a provider, but Cedric Konan header flew over the bar from the penalty point.
Il Granata got more relief when Catania's Jose Manuel Vargas had to go off with an injury, but soon after they had to do a one substitution themselves.
Stefano Fiore injuried himself fighting in the box as during the situation Diego De Ascentis curling shot was brilliantly saved by Torino's summer transfer target Federico Vilar. Gianluca Comotto came in to replace the Italian international.
Half ended without not much chances, but Torino manager Tanel Tursk bringed in Iacopo Balestri at half-time to replace Nikola Lazetic.
Olimpico was rather packed up for the occasion, but there was more bad news for the manager when Gabriele Cioffi had to make his first performance of the season due to injury of experienced center-back Ivan Franceschini.
Cioffi marking error soon after almost resulted into the goal as in 63rd minute he left Gionatha Spinesi unmarked in box after making two brilliant tackles. Luck was on his and Torino's side though and Spinesi blasted the ball over.
Torino managed to keep the ball for most periods of the half, but it went dramatic when another injury occured. With three subs done Torino's cup run was in danger as Andre Zuba injuried his hips and it was goalscorer Abbruscato who was man enough to take the goalkeeper gloves.
Torino managed to hold the backline tight and Catania couldn't find a way to threaten the stiker-goalkeeper and it went much easier when Ellery Cairo got sent off for a second yellow card so it was 10-10.
It ended 1:0 and Torino will meet another Serie A club Atalanta in the final qualifying round.
Torino: 1-Andre Zuba; 14-Ivan Franceschini (52' 6-Gabriele Cioffi), 2-Raffaele Schiavi, 25-Marco Di Loreto; 15-Diego De Ascentis; 7-Stefano Fiore (38' 3-Gianluca Comotto  ), 8-Simone Barone, 17-Nikola Lazetic (45. 22-Iacopo Balestri ); 10-Alessandro Rosina; 19-Elvis Abbruscato , 24-Cedric Konan |
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