 05-03-07, 07:49 PM | #105 (permalink) |
| Used In Squad Rotation Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 366 Thanks: 74 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTW/F/M Award(s): 0 | 
 Palermo - Torino 6th of May 2007 Renzo Barbera, Palermo Italian Serie A 2006/2007, Week 35     59'  Amauri, 64' Fabio Simplicio - 45' Simone Barone
It took some bad finishing and two huge defensive blunders for Torino's unbeatten run end just after they highlighted their season with a 3-2 victory over Inter.
Eventhough Torino had their goal for this season reached they didn't went for a reserves day againist Palermo who still has a slight chance in the hunt for the 4th place which would take them to Champions League.
Cedric Konan, Iacopo Balestri and Andre Zuba were out, while 16-year old Italian-Nigerian A Obinza Ogbonna was given a chance at the bench after a succesful season with the Primavera outfit. Simone Barone and Cristiano Lupatelli faced their former clubs.
Torino amazingly managed to get a dangerous strike on goal just after the kick-off, Stefano Fiore sent through Elvis Abbruscato whose shot was luckily for Palermo smothered away by Federico Agliardi, who is in Torino's watch list for a new goalkeeper.
Though Palermo went even closer at the othe rend as David Di Michele used his pace to get a free shot at the far post, but it bounced back into play off the post.
Alessandro Rosina got a bad knock and Luis Figo replaced him as Stefano Fiore moved up.
Torino was the first side to break through, but incredible slow decision making of the referees interrupted the goal celebrations of Elvis Abbruscato. He thought that his strike was legit, but the linesman notified the first official that Roberto Stellone who gave 'Abbru' was offside at the start of his run, around ten seconds before the whistle went.
Amauri got past Raffaele Schiavi, but his shot was from too hard angle and Lupatelli saved.
Though Torino put in a second gear for the final minutes of the half.
First Stefano Fiore found Roberto Stellone on a diagonal run towards the box, but Stellone, who scored twice vs. Inter, saw his shot amazingly saved by Agliardi.
Then Nikola Lazetic broke into the box from the wing, getting into shooting position, but his 10-meter drive was denied by a diving Agliardi save at near post and Roberto Stellone amazingly couldn't get the follow-up on target and the ball amazingly flew to a throw-in.
Though Lazetic again proved vital when his cross found Simone Barone in the middle of the box. This time they made no mistake and Barone powerfully netted it into the near top-corner against his ex-employees.
 Barone opens the scoring in the final minutes of the first half
Torino made no subs at half-time and incredibly Roberto Stellone managed to hit his volley wide of an empty goal after a brilliant ball from Abbruscato.
This proved to be crucial, at the other end Raffaele Schiavi hold the ball under pressure for too long and lost it to Amauri who with ease used the one on one opportunity with Lupatelli.
Another bit of unluck came to Torino just minutes later, Lazetic almost got another assist, but Schiavi failed to make up his mistake in defence as his free header towards the far post struck the inside of the post to fall into the arms of Agliardi.
And again miss upfront ended up with a goal at defence, another giant mistake, this time from Cristiano Lupatelli as he came out to clear the ball, but his clearence fell to Fabio Simplicio who could send the ball into empty net from 30 meters out.
 Lupatelli made a game-costing mistake with a clearence
Young A Obinze Ogbonna made his debut at left-back position while another youngster Vitaly Denisov also joined the Torino forces, but that wasn't enough. After the goal much didn't happen and it ended with a 1:2 loss for Torino, first after 20 game unbeatten run in league.
Inter secured the title with a 3-0 win over Atalanta.
Torino: 1-Cristiano Lupatelli; 3-Gianluca Comotto, 2-Raffaele Schiavi, 25-Marco Di Loreto, 16-Giuseppe Pancaro (64' 18-A Obinze Ogbonna); 7-Stefano Fiore, 8-Simone Barone , 17-Nikola Lazetic; 10-Alessandro Rosina (13' 5-Luis Figo) (64' 33-Vitaly Denisov); 19-Elvis Abbruscato, 11-Roberto Stellone
Cautioned  : None
Other Results
Fiorentina 3-0 Chievo
Inter 3-0 Atalanta
Livorno 1-2 Lazio
Messina 3-0 Catania
Parma 1-1 Ascoli
Roma 1-0 Cagliari
Sampdoria 1-1 Empoli
Siena 1-1 Milan
Udinese 1-2 Reggina
Torino Position: 2nd |
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