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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)

Serie A Week 36 – Stadio Bentegodi
Chievo 1-2 Napoli – Denis 45 (N), Granoche 75 (C), Lavezzi 86 (N)
Ref: De Marco – Sent off: Morero 90 (C)

Napoli got the points at the Bentegodi, but this game was a show of comical goalkeeping.

The Partenopei were still in the running for a Champions League spot, albeit with one win from their last four games, and travelled to a Chievo side that was now mathematically safe. Fabio Quagliarella continued his three-match ban, but Ezequiel Lavezzi recovered to start. Davide Mandelli was suspended for the home side, joining Mario Yepes, Luciano and Tommaso Bianchi in the stands.

Sergio Pellissier held off two defenders to burst into the box to get his shot away and sting Morgan De Sanctis’ palms, then the follow-up was also charged down.

Napoli took a long time to settle into this match, but tested Stefano Sorrentino with a fingertip save on Lavezzi’s viciously dipping free kick.

German Denis was sent clear by Lavezzi and dribbled round Sorrentino, but narrowed the angle too much and missed the open goal.

El Tanque did finally find a way through on the stroke of half-time. Morero lost sight of Denis when Hugo Campagnaro’s cross came in, allowing the Argentine a precise cushioned header into the far top corner.

Michele Marcolini tested De Sanctis, while a Pellissier diving header from a corner whistled wide.

However, Denis was allowed a free header from Lavezzi’s corner kick, nodding off target from seven yards.

Chievo made the most of their chance to equalise after 75 minutes, but it was a howler from De Sanctis. He meekly prodded at a seemingly harmless Simone Bentivoglio snapshot, turning it into a perfect assist for Pablo Granoche from six yards.

Marek Hamsik drilled wide from a very promising position, but Napoli did restore their lead with some more bizarre goalkeeping. Lavezzi hit a very powerful and low free kick from the left channel that slipped through Sorrentino’s legs.

In stoppages Chievo went down to 10 men, as Morero received a second yellow card for a tussle with Zuniga.

Chievo: Sorrentino; Sardo, Morero, Mantovani, Jokic, Frey (De Paula 68), Rigoni, Marcolini (Bentivoglio 73), Pinzi, Pellissier, Granoche
Napoli: De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro, Grava (Aronica 65), Maggio (Bogliacino 83), Pazienza, Gargano, Zuniga, Hamsik, Denis (Rinaudo 92), Lavezzi

Serie A Week 36 – Stadio Sant’Elia – Ref: Ciampi
Cagliari 2-2 Udinese – Lazzari 15 (C), Di Natale 26 (U), Sanchez 28 (U), Jeda 58 (C)

Cagliari fought back in an exciting four-goal thriller that saw many more scoring opportuities from both sides.

These teams were tied together on 42 points and could consider themselves safe from relegation, but also disappointed considering they had hoped for a place in Europe. New Cagliari Coach Giorgio Melis was still unbeaten, albeit looking for his first win, after two games. He had to do without the suspended Andrea Cossu, plus Diego Lopez and Francesco Pisano.

Udinese were on stunning form with 18 points from 11 rounds and Antonio Di Natale chasing the Capocannoniere crown. Gaetano D’Agostino, Dusan Basta, Chris Obodo, Andrea Coda and Giovanni Pasquale were sidelined.

Cristian Zapata crucially intercepted a Daniele Conti pass that would’ve released Alessandro Matri.

Cagliari broke the deadlock when Davide Biondini flicked a ball over the top to release Nelson Jeda and his chipped cross found Andrea Lazzari for a free header at the back post. The Udinese defence was caught out of shape.

Di Natale started the fightback by forcing Federico Marchetti into a diving save from his acrobatic finish.

The Friulani equalised thanks to their hitman Di Natale. A Simone Pepe through ball allowed him to spring the offside trap and he kept his cool to stroke it past Marchetti from close range.

Just 90 seconds later it was 2-1 for Udinese! Pepe’s free kick was floated in from the left flank to find Alexis Sanchez totally unmarked for a free header from six yards. The Cagliari defence was nowhere to be seen, although there are suspicions of offside, as Maurizio Domizzi may well have been interfering with play.

Joaquin Larrivey should’ve equalised on 36 minutes. Jeda’s pass sent him one-on-one with Samir Handanovic, but his first touch let him down horribly.

Within seconds of the restart Handanovic required a spectacular save. Matri thought he had scored from point-blank range, but the goalkeeper somehow parried.

Moments later Handanovic again kept out Matri in a one-on-one, then forced another difficult save from the Udinese shot-stopper in what was basically a siege.

It was only 11 minutes into the second half, but Handanovic needed a fifth save to flap away Matri’s cross-shot for Jeda.

Cagliari finally equalised in chaotic fashion. Lazzari’s through ball released Matri who – surprise surprise – was denied by Handanovic’s outstretched foot from point-blank range, but there was nothing to be done on Jeda’s follow-up.

More bad news for Udinese, who lost substitute Badu to injury just 25 minutes after he came off the bench. Michele Canini used his body to charge down a Di Natale effort.

Cagliari: Marchetti; Dessena, Canini, Astori, Agostini; Conti, Biondini, Lazzari (Ragatzu 75); Jeda (Barone 84); Larrivey (Nainggolan 46), Matri
Udinese: Handanovic; Ferronetti (Badu 50) (Cuadrado 75), Zapata, Domizzi, Lukovic; Isla, Inler, Asamoah; Sanchez, Di Natale, Pepe (Floro Flores 86)

Serie A Week 36 – Stadio San Nicola – Ref: Tommasi
Bari 3-0 Genoa – Meggiorini 57 (B), Castillo 85 (B), Barreto 89 (B)

Bari needed three late goals to get the better of Genoa, although they thoroughly deserved the victory.

The season was basically already over for these sides, who were comfortably ensconced mid-table. Bari have taken their foot off the gas since securing safety, losing four on the trot, partly thanks to an injury crisis that ruled out Mariano Donda, Riccardo Allegretti, Andrea Ranocchia and Antonio Langella. Genoa had Rodrigo Palacio and Salvatore Bocchetti suspended, joining Emiliano Moretti, Dario Dainelli, David Suazo and Bosko Jankovic on the sidelines.

Vladimir Koman went close from an early corner, volleying over from 10 yards. Sergio Almiron somehow failed to score after 10 minutes. He was sent totally clear in the final third by an intelligent Paulo Barreto through ball and got Alessio Scarpi on the ground, but incredibly ballooned the lob over an empty net!

A towering Robert Acquafresca header landed on the roof of the net, but Bari had more of the ball and skimmed the woodwork with both Riccardo Meggiorini and Almiron from distance.

Acquafresca again nodded an Ivan Juric cross off target, but Meggiorini threatened with a right-foot volley from the edge of the box that whizzed past the upright.

After the restart Koman drilled wide, then Meggiorini volleyed over.

Meggiorini had been threatening and finally found a way through on 57 minutes. He ran on to a Koman slide-rule pass and left Tomovic behind to smash a powerful left-foot finish in to the near top corner. Gian Piero Gasperini complained, as he felt Tomovic had been pushed, and earned a red card.

Raffaele Palladino tested Jean-Francois Gillet at the near post, but Bari doubled their lead.

Substitute Jose ‘Nacho’ Castillo had only been on the field for three minutes when he ran on to a through ball and coolly placed an angled drive across the goalkeeper into the far bottom corner.

Barreto made it 3-0 soon after, as he sprung the offside trap to fire low from just inside the area.

Bari: Gillet; Belmonte, A Masiello, Bonucci, S Masiello; Alvarez, Gazzi, Almiron (Donati 77), Koman (Parisi 79); Barreto, Meggiorini (Castillo 82)
Genoa: Scarpi; Tomovic, Papastathopoulos, Criscito; Mesto, Zapater (Cofie 65), Milanetto, Juric; Sculli (Boakye 71), Acquafresca, Palladino (El Shaarawi 71)

Serie A Week 36 – Stadio Azzurri d’Italia
Atalanta 1-1 Bologna – Guarente 23 (A), Peluso og 78 (B)
Ref: Tagliavento – Missed penalty: Valdes 15 (A) – Sent off: Pellegrino 45 (A)

Atalanta threw it all away, as they missed a penalty, saw a player controversially sent off and scored a late own goal.

This really was the last chance saloon for the Orobici and Bortolo Mutti knew it. “Either we beat Bologna or we can wave goodbye to Serie A.” The Rossoblu had a five-point lead and were the final port of call before the bottom three.

Atalanta had Tomas Manfredini and Paolo Bianco suspended, joining the sidelined Edgar Barreto, Paolo Zanetti, Jose Leonardo Talamonti and Gyorgy Garics. The visitors had Salvatore Lanna out on a ban, plus Mingazzini and Gaby Mudingayi injured.

Simone Tiribocchi put the ball in the back of the net with a volley as the ball dropped over his shoulder, but it was correctly ruled offside.

Daniele Portanova mistimed his sliding tackle on Tiberio Guarente and the referee pointed to the spot. Jaime Valdes stepped up and aimed it through the centre, but Emiliano Viviano hesitated long enough to parry with his legs. Ferreira Pinto tried to follow it up, forcing an acrobatic clearance from defenders.

However, the heroic goalkeeper was at fault soon after when he wandered too far off his line. Guarente saw him and curled the free kick straight under the bar from distance.

Moments later Valdes nearly made up for his penalty miss with a strike that skimmed the upright with Viviano well beaten.

The referee was involved again on the stroke of half-time in a chaotic incident. Max Pellegrino was spotted pulling Portanova down by the shirt for what at first seemed to be a penalty. He was booked, but five seconds later received a second yellow card for using foul and abusive language. However, it was all a waste, as the penalty was not given because the linesman stated the ball had already gone out of play, so Pellegrino got himself sent off for nothing.

10-man Atalanta nearly made it 2-0 on the counter, but a defensive interception was crucial to stop Ferreira Pinto’s cross getting through for Nicola Amoruso.

Ferreira Pinto should’ve had the result under lock and key on 80 minutes when Cristiano Doni threaded through, but he fired wide of the near post.

It proved a disastrous error, but even worse was the mistake by Federico Peluso. The Atalanta defender was distraught, as he scored a comical own goal! Consigli parried an angled drive on to his ankle and the first touch was far too heavy, prodding the ball into an empty net from six yards. Understandably, the defender was in tears.

Atalanta poured forward and Nicola Amoruso’s free kick flashed inches wide of the far post, earning him a bloody head in the process. Despite playing with 10 men, the home side laid siege to the Bologna net. Guarente’s free kick was nodded wide in stoppages, but there was no way back.

Atalanta: Consigli; Bellini, Capelli, Pellegrino, Peluso; Ferrerira Pinto (Chevanton 85), Guarente, Padoin, Valdes (Doni 69); Amoruso, Tiribocchi (Radovanovic 46)
Bologna: Viviano; Raggi (Jimenez 70), Portanova (Adailton 51), Moras, Britos; Modesto, Busce’, Guana, Mutarelli (Casarini 46); Zalayeta, Di Vaio