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Sampdoria 1-1 Palermo: Cassano Turns On The Style But Cannot Lead Hosts To Victory
The hosts failed to earn only their third win in their last 12 league games.....
| Bet: | Returns: | Palermo £23.75 | Draw £31.00 | Lazio £28.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Palermo £25.50 | Draw £31.00 | Lazio £28.80 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Palermo £25.00 | Draw £31.00 | Lazio £27.50 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Palermo £24.00 | Draw £32.00 | Lazio £30.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Palermo £24.00 | Draw £31.00 | Lazio £27.50 |
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Jan 6, 2010 3:55:00 PM
In a match replete with chances and entertainment, it were two first half goals that eventually settled the matter. Edinson Cavani gave Palermo the lead five minutes before half time but just a minute later Antonio Cassano equalised. Sampdoria had numerous chances to win the match in the second half but the two sides ultimately shared the spoils in Genoa.
Sampdoria started the New Year eighth in the standings with 25 points from 17 games, having won just two of their last 11 Serie A matches. As for Palermo, the Sicilians appeared to have recovered from their early season slump and were one point and one place above Sampdoria. While the hosts started with Antonio Cassano and Giampaolo Pazzini upfront, the visitors had key strikers Fabrizio Miccoli and Edinson Cavani ready to roar from the onset.
Palermo started the game with a positive attitude and created some half-chances for themselves but the first genuine chance of the game fell to Cassano in the ninth minute. The Italian playmaker dribbled from the left side and took on Fabio Liverani in an one-on-one situation but couldn't apply the finishing touch.
The 27-year-old created another good chance for his side five minutes later when he wonderfully controlled a ball with his chest but his pass for Pazzini was a bit too strong for any productive result to come out of the move.
A couple of minutes later in the 16th minute Palermo broke free with Miccoli trying his luck but Sampdoria almost scored on a counter as Cassano fed Pazzini by passing the ball between the legs of Federico Balzaretti. But Cesare Bovo cleared away the ball for a corner, from which Palermo custodian Salvatore Sirigu made a wonderful save as he parried away Daniele Gastaldello's header.
A couple of minutes later Miccoli tested Sampdoria goalkeeper Luca Castellazzi from a good position and then in the 21st minute the hosts had another great chance as Cassano got the better of Mattia Cassani in an one-on-one situation and sent a ball to the middle for Andrea Poli but the latter's shot was off target.
Samp went close in the 28th minute when Cassano, Poli and Pazzini all combined but in the end Franco Semioli's header was blocked by Sirigu. A couple of minutes later, though, it was Palermo who could have broken the deadlock as Fabio Simplicio released Miccoli, who headed the ball towards Cavani but the Uruguayan striker couldn't keep his shot on target.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 40th minute when Cavani took advantage of a defensive mistake to slot past Castellazzi to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
But just a minute later Samp equalised when Cassano took advantage of a Simon Kjaer error to score with his right foot from a difficult angle to the left after being fed by Angelo Palombo. It ended 1-1 at the break.
Sampdoria picked up the thread in the second session from where they had left off in the first half. Cassano could have given his side the lead in the 52nd minute when he went close and just a couple of minutes later the hugely talented Italian went close again when he got the better of Kjaer but couldn't get the ball past Sirigu.
The Palermo man between the sticks made yet another good save on the hour mark, this time off Pazzini. Pazzini tried his luck with a shot in the 67th minute but it was nowhere near Sirigu's goal.
The Sicilians had looked lost in the second half so far but came to life in the 69th minute when Cavani tested Castellazzi.
Although Samp looked the more assured and intelligent side in the second half. Palermo did not give up hope of a winner as Simplicio was trying to pull the strings from the midfield. He combined with Giulio Migliaccio in the 83rd minute and then tried to feed Cavani at the far post a minute later.
Then in the 85th minute Sampdoria protested for a penalty as they thought that Balzaretti had handled the ball but the referee did not heed them.
It eventually finished 1-1 at the Comunale Luigi Ferraris.
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
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2/15/12
And with that, we're going to call it a night, folks.
We've had two tremendous matches today, so lets hope the intensity keeps up in the next clashes!
Until next time, this is LIVE commentator Stephen Crawford signing off.
From everyone here at Goal.com, thanks for joining us!
We've had two tremendous matches today, so lets hope the intensity keeps up in the next clashes!
Until next time, this is LIVE commentator Stephen Crawford signing off.
From everyone here at Goal.com, thanks for joining us!
2/15/12
All this focus on the Arsenal and Milan game should not take away from another cracker earlier tonight between Zenit and Benfica. The Russians came from a goal down to lead 2-1 in the closing minutes before Oscar Cardozo levelled things for Benfica, but it wasn't over there as Roman Shirokov won the game for Zenit in the 88th minute.
Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
Here's the thoughts of Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, who felt his side deserved a point from the game.
2/15/12
Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny bemoaned his side's luck tonight but refused to give up. Here's some of his quotes:
"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.
"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.
"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."
Full story HERE
"They were the better team on the night and that's the story of the day.
"We have to keep fighting, pick ourselves up, get the confidence back and challenge in the other competitions and in the second leg of this tie too.
"They punished us on every occasion; they scored some quality goals and they deserved to win."
Full story HERE
2/15/12
Another Milan player who was willing to share his thoughts after the match was Mark van Bommel, who has urged caution ahead of the second leg in London.
“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.
(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)
“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.
“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.
Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.
“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.
“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”
“The score made it look like it was an easy game, but it certainly wasn't.
(Strange... it looked pretty easy from where I was sitting, but hey.)
“I do not think it's over yet. I remember a clash between Milan and Deportivo la Coruna when Milan was also ahead by four goals, and in the end Deportivo eliminated Milan.
“I went into the Arsenal dressing room after the match to speak to Robin van Persie. I had agreed with him to swap shirts – my sons are big fans of his and he brought two for them. They will be delighted.
Van Bommel went on to talk about a possible move to PSV in the future, but was quick to point out his terms for the move.
“I've spoken with PSV, but we don't have an agreement yet. The club has to decide what they want.
“If Louis van Gaal turns out to be the new coach, I won't go.”
2/15/12
Next up is the Milan maestro Clarence Seedorf. He only managed 12 minutes on the pitch, but watching from the sidelines he was delighted at how his team mates had dominated the game.
"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."
"Tonight everything went in the right direction and we did a very good match. You don't start a match thinking to win 4-0, but at the end i think we deserved it coz we played very well."
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