Serie A Week 36 – Stadio Franchi – Ref: Brighi
Siena 1-2 Palermo – Cavani 24 (P), Miccoli 58 (P), Calaio’ 80 (S)
Fabrizio Miccoli gave Palermo a potentially decisive win that effectively sends Siena into Serie B.
Robur had one last roll of the dice to avoid relegation, but welcomed a Rosanero side battling for the Champions League. To make matters worse, captain Simone Vergassola was suspended.
Antonio Nocerino’s lob did not surprise Gianluca Curci, but it was Siena who had the stronger start to this match.
Abdel Ghezzal caused constant problems for the Sicilian back line, earning a succession of free kicks and forcing some saves out of Salvatore Sirigu with his header and low drive.
Simon Kjaer’s wayward attempt to clear Massimo Maccarone’s cross from the left almost turned into an own goal after 14 minutes, giving Sirigu quite a scare.
However, it was Palermo who broke the deadlock. Nocerino chipped up a cross for Edinson Cavani to volley low from six yards with his right foot.
It should’ve been 2-0 on 36 minutes, as Federico Balzaretti’s cross flashed past two defenders to find Marco Cassani at the back post, but he only thumped the base of the post from point-blank range.
The impressive Ghezzal nearly equalised, as his header from five yards forced Sirigu into a reaction save with the inside of his foot. The cross had come in from Aleandro Rosi.
On the stroke of half-time Fabrizio Miccoli cut back to get away from Jajalo, but the strike whizzed past the far top corner.
Siena wasted several chances to equalise straight after the restart. Maccarone had three great opportunities, but drilled just wide, forced Sirigu into a save with his feet and then his wayward cross-shot was parried.
Miccoli made it 2-0 with a poacher’s goal. Francesco Pratali slipped in his attempt to intercept Balzaretti’s low pass from the left, so the Pocket Striker delicately prodded with the outside of his right foot to steer into the far bottom corner.
This was a very special goal, as it was Miccoli’s 40th in a Palermo jersey, matching Dante Di Maso’s club record from the 1960s.
Curci flew to deny Nocerino’s right-foot screamer, while Cavani’s audacious backheel flick was off target.
Sirigu denied an Emanuele Calaio’ header, but the striker did score 10 minutes from time. Maccarone’s cross from the left found Calaio’ for a precise glancing header across the face of goal to the far post.
Javier Pastore went on a series of slaloms through the Siena defence, but nobody managed to finish off his chances.
Siena: Curci; Rosi, Cribari, Pratali (Terzi 60), Del Grosso; Codrea (Jarolim 75), Ekdal; Jajalo (Larrondo 84), Ghezzal, Maccarone; Calaiò
Palermo: Sirigu; Cassani, Bovo, Kjaer, Balzaretti; Nocerino, Liverani, Migliaccio; Pastore (Budan 91); Miccoli (Abel Hernandez 63), Cavani (Bertolo 78)