Italian football news – Serie A Week 38 – 16/5/10 – Stadium Massimino
Catania 1-0 Genoa – Maxi Lopez 65 (C)
Ref: Candussio – Sent off: Juric 63 (G)
Catania set the new club record for points in the top flight thanks to crucial January signing Maxi Lopez.
Sinisa Mihajlovic had already achieved safety against all odds and was now targeting the all-time club points record in Serie A, earned under Walter Zenga. Genoa failed to qualify for Europe and had struggled in recent weeks, although last Sunday’s win over Milan boosted confidence.
Cristian Llama, Augustyn and Gianvito Plasmati were sidelined, while the Rossoblu missed Jankovic, Kharja and the suspended Bocchetti.
Giuseppe Mascara’s daisy-cutter tested Marco Amelia and Maxi Lopez drilled inches wide with his left foot from the edge of the box.
Andrea Campagnolo smothered a Domenico Criscito snapshot at the near post following good work from Raffaele Palladino. Jorge Martinez put the ball in the back of the net, but was in an offside position.
Genoa wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead on the half-hour mark. David Suazo surged forward on the counter and went past Campagnolo to set up Palladino, but the finish flashed across a totally open goal from a tight angle!
Amelia needed two touches to parry a Maxi Lopez right-foot strike from distance on the strong of half-time.
Robert Acquafresca came very close to an opener for Genoa, as he shook off his marker to fire straight at the on-rushing Mariano Andujar from point-blank range.
However, Genoa were reduced to 10 men moments later when Ivan Juric received a foolish second yellow card in the space of five minutes.
Catania took advantage immediately. Ciro Capuano’s cross from the left found Maxi Lopez sliding in at the near post, getting in front of his marker for the 11th goal in 17 games.
Pablo Ledesma’s backheel flick created another chance for Adrian Ricchiuti, who failed to make the most of it.
Catania: Andujar; Alvarez, Silvestre, Terlizzi, Capuano; Biagianti; Ledesma, Ricchiuti (Marchese 79), Mascara, Martinez (Barrientos 59); Maxi Lopez (Russo 85)
Genoa: Amelia; Mesto, Criscito, Papastathopoulos, Tomovic; Milanetto (Zapater 67), Juric, Sculli, Palladino (Fatic 42); Suazo (Boakye 52), Acquafresca