 20-01-07, 03:06 PM | #85 (permalink) |
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 Milan - Torino 17th of February 2007 Giuseppe Meazza, San Siro, Milano Italian Serie A 2006/2007 - Week 24     90+1'  Andrea Pirlo - 4' Elvis Abbruscato, 64' Roberto Stellone (Pen)
Torino got their most important and most memorable win of the season as they managed to withstand a heavy pressure to beat Milan 2-1 in probably the most thrilling Serie A game of the season for all clubs.
It was a vital tie for Champions League hunting teams as Torino was sitting 2nd with an five point lead over the chasing package, led by the Calciopoli punished Milan.
There was no injuries for Torino, even Milan had just one player missing - Ricardo Oliveira.
The game started off with Dida pushing over an Elvis Abbruscato shot that was hit almost parallel with the goal.
Just couple of minutes later another opportunity opened up for the Serie A leading goalscorer. He was amazingly set through by Gianluca Comotto high long pass, which he allowed to bounce off the ground before lobing it into the back post with the first touch.
 What a 20th in the league for Abbruscato
On the other end Milan looked to get back into the game, but Filippo Inzaghi managed to send a low Kakha Kaladze cross over from just 8 meters.
Then it was a bit more calmer until some serious pressure from Milan for a short period of time.
Cristiano Lupatelli first saved a powerful Rafael Van Der Vaart free-kick, from the following corner Kaka headed wide and soon after Andrea Barzagli also sent a Van Der Vaart corner past the near post.
Then for twenty minutes there happened almost nothing until Elvis Abbruscato almost doubled his tally minutes before half-time but Giuseppe Pancaro cross was headed just past the far post.
At half-time tired Luis Figo was replaced by Iacopo Balestri and Tursk was set to make another sub five minutes in as Nikola Lazetic got injuried and Cedric Konan steped in.
And after that it went from interesting to cracking.
Stellone was unmarked in the corner of the box, but instead of trying to pass the ball to Elvis Abbruscato who would've had an empty net he tried himself and he shot it straight into the path of the Brazilian.
On the other end Kaka tried to shoot from 30 meters, but it was central and over. Gilardino almost got through soon after, but his low shot was hit wide off the empty far post thanks to a pressure from Marco Di Loreto.
Seedorf had a similiar shot to Kaka as it went central and over from distance.
The ultra-attacking Milan left some gaps in the defence aswell and Raffaele Schiavi almost took advantage of it, but his shot after a corner was pushed over by Dida.
On the other end Kaka shot wide from 30 meters again as Milan really had some trouble getting into the box and the missed chances had to be paid for.
Roberto Stellone ran down the wing and broke into the box, just when he had made few steps in Daniele Bonera scrambled into him and despite the Milan protest referee Domenico Messina handed a penalty for Torino.
Stellone himself step up and Dida barely could react as he powerfully struck it near the left post.
 Stellone ended his 3 game dry-streak
Closely after the restart Kaka bombed was brilliantly saved by Cristiano Lupatelli and the Brazilians runs made Tursk to sub in Diego De Ascentis for goalscorer Stellone to make it 4-5-1 for final 20 minutes.
Torino had to thank the luck that Massimo Ambrosini headed a Andrea Pirlo corner into the bar, but they had their bad luck just minute later.
Marco Di Loreto set through Abbruscato, but the 25-year old was forced to go to more wing position and his shot got easily tiped past the goal by Dida.
Ambrosini was now becoming the threat for Torino though and on the other end his shot from 25 meters was saved by brilliant Cristiano Lupatelli.
It was far from just Milan though, Elvis Abbruscato crossed in for Cedric Konan in the far post who was left unmarked in the panic attack period, but the Ivorian headed wide from incredible position.
Ambrosini then curled the ball wide from distance while the defensive midfielder was again dangerous couple of minutes later when Lupatelli managed to make an incredible save on his header as he tiped it to the post while Andrea Pirlo soft curler was catched easily by Lupatelli to calm the game down.
Though it was only calm for few minutes as Gilardino headed wide from great position in the box and Alessandro Rosina saw his free-kick catched comfortable by Dida.
Torino should've put the final nail in the Milan coffin, but Abbruscato couldn't capitalise on his one on one situation and Dida managed to make a low save on him.
It seemed like it was going for a comfortable win still until Milan put the pressure on for the final minutes again.
First Alberto Gilardino hit the post with a thundering header from few meters as there was no-one to save the goal while Daniele Bonera curled over from 30 meters.
Milan finally got one back in the 1st minute of injury time, as Andrea Pirlo took the advantage of Lupatellis desperate clearence in the box and shot it into the uncovered near post from the edge of the area.
 Pirlo gave Milan a late chance
Though Milan only managed to create one chance after that, a chance that made sure who was going to be the man of the match.
Gilardino thought that another one of his thunder headers from dozen meters was going in, but Lupatelli managed to make an incredible reaction to it and pushed it out of the goal just before it crossed the line to clinch a brilliant man of the match title for himself and a vital victory for Torino.
Torino now sits 6 points ahead of 3rd placed Roma while Milan fell 5th in the standings.
Torino: 1-Cristiano Lupatelli; 3-Gianluca Comotto, 2-Raffaele Schiavi, 25-Marco Di Loreto, 16-Giuseppe Pancaro; 5-Luis Figo (45' 22-Iacopo Balestri), 8-Simone Barone, 17-Nikola Lazetic (50' 24-Cedric Konan); 10-Alessandro Rosina; 19-Elvis Abbruscato , 11-Roberto Stellone (69' 15-Diego De Ascentis)
Cautioned  : 1' Simone Barone, 15' Nikola Lazetic, 22' Raffaele Schiavi, 74' Gianluca Comotto
Other Results
Parma 1-1 Inter
Empoli 3-1 Cagliari
Livorno 1-1 Fiorentina
Catania 2-2 Ascoli
Siena 1-2 Udinese
Messina 0-2 Roma
Sampdoria 1-0 Reggina
Chievo 2-1 Palermo
Lazio 0-0 Atalanta
Torino Position: 2nd |
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