Serie A Week 37 – 9/5/10 – Stadio Friuli – Ref: Pinzani
Strikers: Barreto 18 (B), Di Natale, 63 21 (U), Pepe 27 (U), Koman 40 (B), Almiron 93 (B)
Missed penalty: Barreto 16 (B)
It was certainly entertaining, as Antonio Di Natale celebrated his 100th and 101st Serie A strikes in a game with six goals and a missed penalty.
Both sides were comfortably mid-table and ready to have fun going into the final two rounds. In particular, Antonio Di Natale was eager to secure the Capocannoniere title. Maurizio Domizzi was suspended, joining Gaetano D’Agostino, Chris Obodo, Andrea Coda and Paolo Sammarco in the stands. Bari missed goalkeeper Jean-Francois Gillet for the first time this season, along with Nacho Castillo, Mariano Donda, Andrea Ranocchia and Antonio Langella. This meant former Liverpool ‘keeper Daniele Padelli got the gloves.
Bari thought they were about to take the lead when Cristian Zapata brought down Riccardo Meggiorini with a clumsy tackle. However, Paulo Vitor Barreto incredible fired the penalty wide of the upright.
Moments later Barreto made up for his error, as he was given acres of space outside the box to pick his spot and smash an angled drive into the far bottom corner.
Udinese equalised through Di Natale, who celebrated his 100th Serie A goal with a special gold crown and T-Shirt provided by teammates. Mauricio Isla deserves much of the credit, as he burst down the right flank and rolled across for Di Natale’s daisy-cutter from outside the box.
Simone Pepe turned the game around completely. Di Natale’s cross from the right was hooked brilliantly with the right foot and thumped in with the left from nine yards.
Bari equalised again for the fourth goal of the first half, as a long Massimo Donati cross found Vladimir Koman at the back post for a well-taken volley. However, it probably should’ve been disallowed, as Bonucci was offside and in the way of Damiano Ferronetti.
After the restart only an acrobatic Bonucci intervention prevented Di Natale from adding to his tally.
Di Natale did get his 101st Serie A goal, as a well-worked move saw backheel flicks from Pepe and Isla, he cut back past his marker to fire from the edge of the box.
Zapata used his body as a human shield to charge down an Edgar Alvarez strike.
It was almost a fourth when Sergio Almiron had to clear off the line from Pepe’s corner kick, while Padelli needed a double save to deny Alexis Sanchez.
Bari completed their comeback in stoppages, as Donati’s cross from the left found Almiron for a free header at the back post against his former club.