Derby del Sud doesn’t disappoint, unless
you happen to be a Napoli fan. Pulsating game between southern upstarts is
nail biting from start to finish. The
Rosanero carve out a win after five straight draws to overhaul their Southern
neighbours.
No away fans allowed at the
Stadio Renzo Barbera; although it’s likely that traveling supporters got
tickets. The atmosphere in Sicily was good; both
clubs have an intertwined history so the feeling at the stadium wasn’t as taut
as in other Serie A fixtures. The last
time these two teams met in the top flight was in the seventies so both sets of
the match is eagerly anticipated, with their closeness in the table; separated
only by goal difference; much is at stake.
Colantuono, without Amauri or
Miccoli gives the Uruguayan, Cavani a start up front, Brienza plays in the hole; his first start this
season. The midfield of Diana and Caserta out wide and
Simplicio and Tedesco in the middle is solid with the creativity handled by the
Brazilian. Zaccardo, Biava, Barzagli and
Capuano protect veteran Fontana. The formation is 4 4 1 1
Reja fields a strong side. Zalyeta and Lavezzi up front with a five man
midfield of Garics, Hamsik, Gargano, Bogliacino and Savini with a three man
defence anchored by Cannavaro flanked by the excellent Domizzi and Contini. Iezzo stays between the sticks. The formation is an attack minded 3 5 2.
The game starts well with both
sides attacking at their first opportunity.
Hamsik is the first to take advantage of the space in midfield, getting
the ball after Napoli break up a Palermo
attack, his shot is wild and high and he knows it.
Palermo are up next and do
better, their build up is measured and patient and Garics does well to head
behind Diana’s cross at the back post ahead of the onrushing Brienza.
Zaccardo breaks up play and
starts a break and the pacy Diana sees his cross cleared.
Hamsik finds himself in acres of
space with a clear sight of goal but again wastes a good opportunity to test Fontana with a skied
shot.
Napoli only half clear a Palermo free kick but the
second clearance is used to break upfield quickly, Lavezzi gets into the left
channel but his cross is stood up just behind the run of Zalyeta. Moments later the Uruguayan gets onto a ball in
the Palermo area which squirts away from him to
Lavezzi who forces an excellent reflex save off Fontana at the near post.
The game is free flowing, wide
open with combativeness and skill being applied all over the filed. Napoli are
shading the early moments.
Simplicio shows his dead ball
skills with a wonderfully executed free kick form the right, the ball in is
flat and pacy and Napoli do well to clear the
danger with Cannavaro lucky not to give away a penalty for hauling down Biava.
Palermo comes forward and the bright starting
Cavani forces a smart save from Iezzo.
Palermo keep up the pace of the game with Cavani again, but this time
Diana’s cross is too high and Napoli race up the other end, a beautifully
cushioned header lays the ball off perfectly for Hamsik, the Slovakian has time
and space with only Fontana to beat but fluffs it high, again; the youngster hasn’t
got his shooting boots on today and looks mortified at his gross waste of a
brilliant opportunity to take the lead, Fontana’s smile says it all.
Lavezzi loses the ball which
allows Palermo to exert themselves in and around
the Napoli area, Azzurri managed to hang on
for a brief but vital spell of Rosanero pressure, Tedesco’s header finding the
upright from Capuano’s cross the closest to a goal.
Palermo
increased their possession and started to get to grips with the five man Napoli midfield; Brienza; having a bright game; could
only find the post after a sharp shot had the beating of Iezzo.
Contini goes off injured and the Paraguayan,
Maldonado takes his place. The substitute’s
first contribution isn’t so very good; a rash challenge on Brienza after being
turned inside out by the Palermo
forward, Simplicio can only hit the wall with his delivery.
As Palermo get handle on midfield Zalyeta drifts
out of the game a tad, he isn’t able to get much of the ball.
The referee is showing good sense
with a couple of good advantages to Palermo
and the Rosanero get intricate on the edge of the Azzurri area but the final
ball is wayward. When the moves do break
down it allows Napoli to get upfield, Bogliacino gets in a long range shot
which is easy for Fontana. Another Napoli
move sees Zalyeta and Hamsik combine well but the Slovakian’s pass for Lavezzi
is a poor one and easily cut out. Garics
fires in a good cross which leads to a corner kick, from the set piece the ball
finds Lavezzi who delivers a great ball into the box which Zalyeta can’t bring
down.
Savini brings down Diana as the
winger’s pace is causing problems down the right, another delivery from Simplicio
unnerves the Napoli defence, this one manages
to miss everybody and sail out at the back post.
Maldonado continues his
inau####ious game with a soft foul on Cavani, Brienza gets the delivery over
the wall but doesn’t manage to get underneath the bar.
Garics shows his pace on the
right but displays little control.
Simplicio gives the ball away in
midfield and Zalyeta moves forward, he finds Lavezzi on the left and the ball
in is well met at the back post by Biava, Fontana punches out the first ball in
but Napoli play it back in straight away; the ball pinballs around in the area
then falls to Lavezzi whose shot is safely gathered by Fontana.
Palermo
break quickly and Iezzo does well to turn Brienza’s shot around the post, his
technique on the corner kick is suspect but Napoli
clear the ball nonetheless.
The pace picks up in the final
moments of the half as both sides look to score before the whistle. The quality is not able to keep pace with the
action; Bogliacino firing high and Maldonado fouling Cavani for a yellow
card.
Neither Colantuono nor Reja make
any changes at the half.
Simplicio starts the second half
fireworks with a stunningly well delivered free kick form the Palermo left;
bodies and legs fly but Iezzo is grateful none gets a touch and claims the ball
with relative ease. The pace is quicker
then the first half and the ball is moving quickly through the midfield; which
is less congested than the first half.
Diana’s cross is half cleared by
Cannavaro and the return ball in sees Domizzi and Brienza clash in the area,
Rosetti waves away Palermo’s
penalty appeals.
Garics again fires in a poor
cross and as the play goes end to end Brienza is called offside.
Garics’s clearance comes to Caserta but the shot that
comes back in doesn’t trouble Iezzo.
Domizzi starts a move, some
interplay with Lavezzi then the Argentinean lays the ball to Hamsik on the
right, he finds Garics who cuts it back to Lavezzi, the delivery loops into the
six yard box allowing Bogliacino to get his head to the ball before he gets a
boot to the face from the Palermo
defender. Fontana is beaten but Bogliacino is too busy
getting treatment to celebrate the goal.
Simplicio is involved around the
edge of the Napoli area and plays the ball out to new man Pisano, the ball is
put back in and a great first touch from Tedesco allows him to get a shot off,
Iezzo is unsighted but in the right position but the ball takes a deflection
off Savini and loop wide of the Azzurri ‘keeper for the equalizer.
The Barbera erupts and momentum
has shifted to the home side. Palermo was behind for all
of two minutes.
Iezzo holds onto Diana’s shot as Palermo keep up their
good attacking play.
Hamsik; still lacking good final
touch today; can only play his return to Lavezzi behind the Argentinean; easy
clearance for Palermo.
Lavezzi shows pace and
determination to beat Pisano to the ball the substitute was shepherding out for
a goal kick, Hamsik shows good skill and muscles past two Palermo shirts before
the referee calls play back, the Slovakian is rightly incensed and gets a card
for his remonstrations with the man in black.
Hard to see what a foul was called for.
Simplicio and Pisano combine well
but without support the ball comes back at Palermo, the Rosanero Captain handles the
Lavezzi led attack with ease, robbing the Argentinean with a perfectly timed
challenge.
Palermo pressure pays off with a corner kick which Napoli
struggle with before Cannavaro steps up and clears behind, the ball in the
second time is more telling, Iezzo is cut out of the game and an unmarked
Tedesco arrives with a perfectly timed volley into the roof of the net. Shoddy defending from the Azzurri doesn’t
stop the celebrations from erupting around a jubilant Stadio Barbera.
Maldonado is lucky not to see a second yellow after a rash
shoulder charge in front of the Palermo
bench.
The game still manages to be vibrant, open and fast paced,
neither side wants to rest and both teams are looking for a third goal or an
equalizer. The Slovakian midfielder caps
off his really bad day at the office with another fantastic and powerful run
through the heart of midfield before he wastefully skies another shot when all
the effort has carved out a nice scoring opportunity.
Napoli are stuttering and finding possession more difficult
to use well, they lack penetration through the midfield, Gargano has dropped
out of the game and the Palermo midfield is
starting to dictate, exemplified with Zalyeta coming deep for the ball and
promptly loosing it to Palermo.
Tedesco comes off to an ovation, replaced by Cassani and
moments later Maldonado is withdrawn; he had a terrible game; for the striker
Calaio. Nice to see Reja isn’t shy about
his attacking intent.
The next attacking play leaves the players confused, Garics;
asked to drop deeper with the removal of Maldonado; cuts out a dangerous cross
from the right. The referee points to
the spot and Palermo
start to celebrate the gift but the well placed assistant needs to overrule
Rosetti – he clearly motions that the ball came of the Hungarian’s chest and
should just be a corner kick.
The kerfuffle dies down enough for the corner to come in and
be cleared.
Garics does better at the other end with a good cross from
wide which is well met by Barzagli, the follow up is blocked then Lavezzi fires
a cross in which falls easily for Fontana.
Cavani and Brienza carve out a chance from a Napoli error and get a corner kick. But Napoli
press more urgently then the home side, often leaving just two at the back as
Cannavaro steps up. Fontana feels the pressure and is grateful
his scrambling is able to keep Lavezzi out twice in quick succession. Hamsik finally gets a shot on target off a
Garics cross but Fontana
remains solid at the back and keeps the Rosanero ahead.
The introduction of Sosa for Zalyeta almost pays dividends
immediately, the tall Argentinean gets onto the end of a Lavezzi cross but
heads wide. Garics has a drilled, low
cross cleared, Fontana claims ahead of Calaio, the traffic was still two way as
Brienza is flagged wrongly for offside when through and clear on goal, Hamsik’s
effort is deflected into Fontana, Sosa heads along ball down but a foul is
called on Domizzi. Napoli is desperate
but Palermo
hang on and a last gasp header from Cannavaro flashes wide after sumptuous ball
skills from the diminutive Argentinean.
Colantuono will be relieved at
the result, five draws on the bounce is almost a sacking offence in Palermo. The win; against tough opponents; will be
well celebrated. The Rosanero played
well throughout the game and dealt with Napoli’s five man midfield for most of
the game, any frailties in defence were handled well by Fontana.
Reja; in the other dugout; will
be frustrated with an Azzurri performance that was slightly off, Maldonado had
a nightmare and Hamsik was profligate in front of goal. Gargano didn’t play as well as he can;
although the quick Palermo
play in midfield didn’t help the Uruguayan.
Some of the attacking play was good but an in form Fontana kept them out for the most part, the
defensive lapse on the set piece was poor and this will be something Reja will
work on.
Rosetti kind of grows on
you. He has a stand offish demeanour
which seems to work on the pitch. He
allowed some very good advantage to be played and allowed the players to limit
themselves. His consistency was spot on
today though he did err towards the lenient; Maldonado was lucky to stay
on. The conference with the assistant showed
good judgment, the better placed man made the correct call. The foul he called on Hamsik wasn’t an
offence then he booked the Slovakian for dissent, not a good series of
events.
