 03-08-07, 12:00 AM | #226 (permalink) |
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 Torino - Napoli 11th of May 2008 Stadio Olimpico, Turin Italian Serie A 2007/2008; Week 36     25'  Elvis Abbruscato, 83' Alessandro Rosina - 28' Nelson Valdez  Match Highlights (4:11)
Torino is now just one win or probably two draws away from Serie A title as 83rd minute Alessandro Rosina goal helped them to a win over Napoli.
Torino was in tough situation with just one win from last five games and they were desperate to get back on track against Napoli who had ended long winning streak of Granata in early January.
Alessandro Rosina encouraged the Torino lads before the match to give all they could despite problems with missing players. Nicolae Mitea, Marco Andreolli, Cecilio Velazquez, Stefano Fiore and Cristiano Lupatelli sat out with young Swedish goalkeeper Markus Eskilsson called up to the first team. Nikola Lazetic returned to be on bench after premature recovery from ankle injury.
It was Rolando Zarate who got the first chance of the match though, but his shot from Matteo Paro pass was central and flew over Marcelo Grohe's goal.
Antonio Di Natale gave a fine cross to Elvis Abbruscato at the other end, but the striker who last scored against Lazio saw his low header parried by Tim Howard.
Zarate's header at the other end was followed by even better save of Grohe just minutes later as the Brazilian made a flying stop before the ball could cross the line at far post.
Ten minutes later Torino went ahead, Gabriel Tamas long ball from his own half found Elvis Abbruscato on the edge of the area as the striker got past one defender before smashing a powerful shot towards the far top corner to make it 1:0.
And slightly more than minute later, Alessandro Rosina's fabulous run got him past two players before his shot at near post was fantastically tipped wide by Howard.
Torino though conceded three minutes after scoring, Regueiro's pass found Nelson Valdez 20 meters from goal as the Paraguayan went past Simone Padoin to send in a low finish towards far post.
Tim Howard's brave play to come out of the area to clear the ball with his head almost proved costly, but Simone Barone shot the ball wide of the empty net under pressure from Napoli defender.
Cristian Bucchi's effort from nearly 30 meters was acrobatically tipped over by Grohe as the teams went to half-time break all square.
Nikola Lazetic came on for Simone Barone as Rosina moved to his more preferred central position behind strikers.
Second half started slow with first chance coming on 68th minute. Rosina's cross created scramble in box as Silva's and Abbruscato's efforts were blocked before Stellone was denied at near post and following the situation, he was taken off for Cacau.
Silva sent another one of his trademark through passes to Abbruscato, but the striker was saved one on one.
Torino got the desired and deserved winner minutes half a dozen minutes later. Marco Pisano's found Alessandro Rosina free at far post as the Torino captain scored one of the most important, and probably the easiest, goals of his life as the ball flew in despite Howard getting a touch to it.
 Torino captain scored for second consecutive match and how important could that goal be!
Torino had a chance to make it 3:1, but Silva shot was saved from central position in the box after he was brilliantly set up by Nikola Lazetic.
The win put Torino four points clear at the top of the table as Bologna also got draw from Inter after drawing with Granata themselves last week. Now Nerazzurri are behind Torino alongside Sampdoria while Juventus and Roma don't have any mathematical possibility of winning the title anymore. But a win from next game would also mean title for Torino.
Torino: 1-Marcelo Grohe; 12-Simone Padoin, 5-Gabriel Tamas, 25-Marco Di Loreto, 6-Marco Pisano; 13-Antonio Di Natale, 28-Silva, 8-Simone Barone (45' 17-Nikola Lazetic), 13-Antonio Di Natale; 11-Roberto Stellone (69' 9-Cacau), 19-Elvis Abbruscato
Cautioned  : None
Other Results
Inter 0:0 Bologna
Chievo 1:0 Atalanta
Palermo 6:1 Messina
Roma 1:0 Palermo
Fiorentina 3:0 Empoli
Siena 1:3 Lazio
Sampdoria 2:0 Juventus
Ascoli 1:0 Udinese
Catania 2:2 Milan
Torino Position: 1st
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