Sunday, 30 November 2008
Palermo Fantastic ! Crush Milan 3-1!
With Inter getting the better of Napoli 2-1 earlier in the day, tonight’s match at Palermo was crucial for the Rossoneri, as they needed a win to maintain the pace with the Nerazzurri at the top of the table. On the other hand however, the Rosanero were determined to get back on the winners list, as they had attained just one point from their past three league outings.
The home side has won four of six matches at the Renzo Barbera this term, with their only defeats coming at the hands of Fiorentina, and more recently the reigning champions Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan has won just one of the past four matches away from home.
The Palermo coach, Davide Ballardini, has a full strength squad available for the clash with Milan tonight, as he has no injuries or suspensions to deal with. The same cannot be said for Ancelotti, as he will be without the suspended Kaka, and the injure Marco Borriello and Alessandro Nesta.
As a result, Daniele Bonera will partner Paolo Maldini in the centre of defence, whilst Pato and Clarence Seedorf will start up front, alongside Ronaldinho.
First Half
The Rosanero got the play underway at the Renzo Barbera stadium, and looked dangerous right from the onset, as Fabrizio Miccoli tested his luck within the first minute from long range, only to see Christian Abbiati deal with the effort in a successful manner.
The home side continued their early dominance on the ball in the first ten minutes, with the first real chance of the contest coming to Morris Carrozzieri after seven minutes. His header from a Miccoli cross was just wide of the target however, and the scores remained 0-0.
The Rossoneri slowly began to work their way in to the match, with their first real opportunity coming after 15 minutes. A glorious ball into the area by Gianluca Zambrotta was met by the head of Pato; however his header was inches wide of the target.
Just two minutes later, Pato had the chance to break deadlock, as he swooped onto a poor touch by Antonio Nocerino, only to be denied by an inspired Marco Amelia, who had started confidently for his side.
The match continued to lift in intensity, as Palermo went close to scoring, through Miccoli again, as attempted another long range effort. Just moments later, it was that man again who went close to scoring, when his strike from just inside the area, was well dealt with by Abbiati, following a great touch by Edison Cavani.
Four minutes later, Pato found himself on the end of a long ball, and managed to work his way in to the area, only to see Marco Amelia rush from his line to give away a penalty. The Palermo players were livid with the decision, as they believed that the contact has been made outside the area. Replays indicated that it was a line-ball decision, and so the penalty stood.
Ronaldinho stepped up to take the penalty, however his casual approach resulted in a fine save from Amelia, as he got a hand to the ball to deny the Brazilian. The former Barca man’s effort was extremely poor, and the score remained 0-0 in Palermo.
Pato was forced to withdraw from the field of play after 29 minutes, after he suffered one knock to many. He was replaced by the leading goal scorer in Europe, Pippo Inzaghi, who looked determined to continue his goal scoring form, from his side’s midweek match with Portsmouth in the Uefa cup.
The intensity dropped a little over the next ten minutes, as both side’s failed to construct any dangerous movements in attack.
On 40 minutes, Miccoli took the ball into the area, and had about five Milan opponents to contend with. He worked his way past three of them; however failed to get a shot off, as Marek Jankulovski made a last ditch effort to clear the danger.
The fourth official indicated that there would be four minutes of additional time in the first half, and it was the Rossoneri who went closest to scoring in this period of time. Cesare Bovo fouled Inzaghi just outside the area, meaning that Milan received a free kick just outside the area.
Ronaldinho took the resulting free kick, and his curling effort was denied by the cross bar, bringing an end to an entertaining first half of football in Sicily.
Second Half
Neither coach made a change at the break, as the visitors got play underway in the second half. The home side started the brighter however, as they picked up from where they left off in the first half.
It took the Rosanero just five minutes to conjure up their first promising attack of the half, as Miccoli picked up the ball in a dangerous crossing position. He somehow was allowed to cut on to his right, skip past Zambrotta, and his lethal strike from just outside the area was too good for Abbiati, and Palermo took a well-deserved advantage.
Miccoli picked up a booking for his celebration, however it meant little, as his seventh goal of the season had given his side the lead against Carlo Ancelotti’s Milan.
On 57 minutes, the Milan boss made a double change, with Emerson coming on to replace Mathieu Flamini, and Andrei Shevchenko coming on for Ambrosini, as Ancelotti finally made a tactical change.
Shevchenko almost had an immediate impact on proceedings, as he was fortunate enough to get on the end of a deflected effort by Seedorf. The Ukrainian’s effort was well saved by Amelia, although he was in an offside position.
Immediately following this, a quick break by the Rosanero resulted in Liverani with the ball at his feet. His delicate chip into the area was met by the head of Cavani, who did extremely well to beat Abbiati at the far post with his head, to double his side’s advantage. 2-0 to Palermo.
The Rossoneri were stunned, trailing by two goals in a contest that they were expected to win. They failed to put together any consistency in their play, and could not construct anything in attack. This was until the 65th minute, when Andrea Pirlo’s free kick was well saved by Amelia, as the home keeper looked an absolute rock in goals tonight.
The home side continued to play with confidence, as their defender Bovo of all people, went close to scoring just five minutes later. He found himself on the end of an Abbiati save from a powerful long drive by Simplicio.
Ancelotti’s men were dealt another blow on 80 minutes, when Balzaretti’s glorious ball in to the area, picked out an unmarked Simplicio, who headed home his side’s third, making it a near impossible mission for the Rossoneri.
Just two minutes later however, superb play from Ronaldinho was halted due to a poor challenge from Bovo inside the area. A penalty was awarded, the second of the contest, and the Brazilian looked to make amends for his poor attempt in the first half. Ronnie made no mistake from the spot on this occasion, as he gave his side half a chance, by finally beating Amelia in goals.
The visitors looked a changed side following the Ronaldinho penalty, as they began to lift in confidence when in possession of the ball. Zambrotta went close to scoring on 86 minutes, as his powerful strike on an acute angle was well dealt with by Amelia once again.
Ballardini made his first defensive switch of the contest, when he removed his star man Miccoli from the field of play; as Simon Kjaer came on to see out the final few minutes. Despite this switch, the Rossoneri looked the stronger in the final few moments, as they surged forward in numbers, and went in search of a miracle.
There were four minutes of additional time in the second half, however it was too little too later for the visitors, as they suffered their third defeat of the campaign, meaning that their cross-town rivals Inter, are now six points clear atop of the Serie A table.
The Rosanero’s second win in eight matches however, was enough for them to remain in 11th position on 20 points, although they now find themselves just 4 points adrift of 4th placed Napoli.
TEAMS
Palermo (4-4-2): Amelia; Balzaretti, Bovo, Carrozzieri, Cassani; Liverani, Nocerino, Bresciano, Simplicio; Cavani, Miccoli.
Milan (4-3-2-1): Abbiati; Zambrotta, Maldini, Bonera, Jankulovski; Flamini, Pirlo, Ambrosini; Seedorf, Ronaldinho; Pato.
GOALS
50’ Miccoli (Palermo)
59’ Cavani (Palermo)
80’ Simplicio (Palermo)
83’ Ronaldinho (Milan)
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