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Udinese 1-1 Bologna
Zapata og 3 (B), Di Natale 91 (U)
Stadio Friuli

Antonio Di Natale only grabbed a last-gasp equaliser in stoppages, as Bologna remain in the danger zone.

Neither side was safe from the drop, but while the Friulani were climbing after their crisis, Bologna had lost five on the trot. The treatment room contained the usual suspects Gaetano D’Agostino, Christian Obodo, Dusan Basta and Andrea Coda. The visitors missed Roberto Guana and Mingazzini.

Udinese shot themselves in the foot just theee minutes into the match. A corner kick looked harmless enough, but Cristian Zapata clumsily prodded it into his own net from eight yards, startling the goalkeeper and teammates.

It was almost 2-0, but Martins Adailton just failed to get the ball under control after springing the offside trap.

Marco Di Vaio led the fightback for Bologna, seeing two shots charged down by defensive bodies.

Antonio Di Natale nearly added to his Capocannoniere haul with a free kick that Emiliano Viviano pushed out from the near top corner.

Gaby Mudingayi intercepted a dangerous Alexis Sanchez free kick before Di Natale could tap in from close range.

Mudingayi also proved useful for Bologna at the other end, as his blockbuster skimmed the crossbar from distance.

On the stroke of half-time, Antonio Floro Flores flashed a right-foot strike inches wide of the upright.

Marcelo Zalayeta wanted a penalty when he fell under Pasquale’s pressure on the counter, but appeared to simply stumble.

Samir Handanovic punched away a fierce Adailton attempt, but Viviano required a fantastic save on 54 minutes to fingertip Simone Pepe’s screamer on to the crossbar.

Daniele Portanova did well to intercept Mauricio Isla’s cross before Di Natale could get the decisive touch.

Udinese were unlucky and rattled the frame of the goal yet again, as on 80 minutes Di Natale nodded a Pepe free kick on to the base of the far post and on the follow-up Viviano flapped a Sanchez flick round the other upright.

The Friulani finally got their equaliser in stoppages. Asamoah rolled across from the counter for Di Natale to side-foot home from six yards.

Udinese could even have won it moments later, as Viviano flew to parry a Pepe screamer from 25 metres.
Udinese: Handanovic; Ferronetti (Inler 74), Zapata, Lukovic, Pasquale; Sammarco (Pepe 50), Isla, Asamoah; Sanchez, Di Natale, Floro Flores (Corradi 85)

Bologna: Viviano; Raggi, Portanova, Moras, Lanna; Buscè, Casarini, Mudingayi; Adailton (Modesto 56); Di Vaio (Gimenez 78), Zalayeta (Succi 87)

Ref: Morganti

Lega Calcio news: Palermo 3-1 Chievo
De Paula 18 (C), Pastore 28 (P), Miccoli pen 39, 53 (P)
Stadio Barbera

Palermo fought back from a surprise De Paula opener to consolidate fourth position.

The Rosanero’s confidence was hit by the derby defeat to Catania and the fact Sampdoria caught them in fourth place. However, they welcomed a decimated Chievo side that missed suspended trio Sergio Pellissier, Luca Rigoni and Santiago Morero, not to mention the injured Luciano, Michele Marcolini and Lorenzo Squizzi. Palermo were without Fabio Simplicio, Mark Bresciano and Cesare Bovo.

Antonio Nocerino volleyed off target from an inspired Fabrizio Miccoli ball over the top. Stefano Sorrentino performed a desperate save on Simon Kjaer’s header from point-blank range.

However, the Flying Donkeys took a shock lead at the Barbera. Nocerino’s defensive header was poor, so De Paula pounced to hold off Goian and nutmeg the goalkeeper from nine yards.

Miccoli stung Sorrentino’s palms with a snapshot, but it was Javier Pastore who equalised. Fabio Liverani’s free kick landed right on the Argentine’s head for a looping finish into the far top corner, although Mandelli’s marking left something to be desired.

The referee pointed to the spot for Manuel Iori’s clumsy challenge on Liverani. Miccoli stepped up and converted the penalty after a stuttering run-up, beating Sorrentino low at the near post.

Chievo nearly got back on level terms again soon after, as a Bentivoglio free kick squirmed through a sea of legs before it was palmed off the line at the back post.

Luca Ariatti needed a desperate goalline clearance to stop Pastore’s shot going into an empty net with the goalkeeper already beaten.

An unsightly brawl broke out just before half-time, sparked by Miccoli and Mario Yepes that then involved a series of players.

Straight after the restart Miccoli made it 3-1, as a corner was rolled across to the unmarked ‘Pocket Striker’ for a fantastic curler from distance.

Sorrentino prevented Pastore getting another after he dispossessed defenders.
Palermo: Sirigu; Cassano, Kjaer, Goian, Balzaretti; Migliaccio, Liverani, Nocerino; Pastore (Budan 90); Cavani (Bertolo 82), Miccoli (Hernandez 68)

Chievo: Sorrentino; Frey, Mandelli, Yepes, Mantovani (Jokic 65); Pinzi, Iori (Granoche 58), Ariatti (Sbaffo 74); Bentivoglio; Abbruscato, De Paula

Ref: Gervasoni

Italian football news: Livorno 0-2 Udinese
Sanchez 8 (U), Di Natale 35 (U)
Stadio Picchi

Livorno are practically relegated after this home defeat on Gennaro Ruotolo’s comeback.

This was the Amaranto’s last chance saloon, as Serse Cosmi was sacked and replaced by the Coach who started the campaign, Gennaro Ruotolo. They had amassed just five points from the last 13 rounds and needed a result against Udinese, who were hovering on the edge of the drop zone despite thrashing Juventus 3-0 last week.

Leonardo Miglionico, Alessandro Bernardini, Antonio Filippini, Diniz and Andrea Esposito were sidelined, while the Friulani missed Andrea Coda, Gaetano D’Agostino, Christian Obodo and Dusan Basta. Surprisingly, Cristiano Lucarelli was left on the bench.

It was Udinese who got off to the stronger start, as within 120 seconds Antonio Di Natale’s snapshot was fingertipped out from under the crossbar.

The Friulani broke through thanks to Chilean youngster Alexis Sanchez. He got in front of Pieri and with a great first touch went round the goalkeeper to slot home.

Rubinho struggled to deny a deflected Simone Pepe effort, while Di Natale drilled just wide. Samir Handanovic comfortably dealt with a Nico Pulzetti header.

Di Natale added to his seasonal tally with a classic counter-attack, sweeping in relatively undisturbed from a Simone Pepe assist down the left channel.

Handanovic flew across the face of goal to deny a Mozart snapshot, but Livorno fans protested and play was temporarily halted for flares thrown on to the pitch.

Ruotolo made a double substitution at the break, introucing Claudio Bellucci and Vitale, but still no sign of captain Lucarelli. Moments later Livorno also lost goalkeeper Rubinho, who seemed to catch a chill in the freezing rain and was visibly shivering as he was led away wrapped in a blanket.

Handanovic parried a Francesco Tavano strike and prevented Tomas Danilevicius from getting on to the rebound.

But those were brief respites from an Udinese monologue at the Stadio Picchi. Substitute goalkeeper Alfonso De Lucia was kept busy by a Giovanni Pasquale snapshot and Sanchez strike.
Livorno: Rubinho (De Lucia 49); Raimondi, Peticone, Knezevic, Pieri (Vitale 46); Pulzetti, Prutsch (Bellucci 46), Mozart, Moro; Danivelicius, Tavano

Udinese: Handanovic; Ferronetti, Zapata, Lukovic, Pasquale; Isla, Sammarco (Badu 82), Asamoah; Pepe, Di Natale, Sanchez (Lodi 91)

Ref: Brighi

Italian football news: Bologna 2-3 Lazio
Guana 12 (B), Portanova 16 (B), Mauri 44 (L), Dias 63 (L), Rocchi 67 (L)
Stadio Dall’Ara

Lazio completed an extraordinary comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at the Dall’Ara.

Neither side was entirely assured of Serie A safety yet, so it was a tense six-pointer. Lazio were in better shape with one defeat in five, while Bologna had lost four on the trot. Vangelis Moras and Nicola Mingazzini were sidelined for the hosts. Stephan Lichtsteiner was suspended along with the injured Francelino Matuzalem, Pasquale Foggia and Mourad Meghni.

Bologna pounced on a defensive error to take the lead, as Giuseppe Biava lost the ball in his own box and Modesto rolled it back across for Roberto Guana to hit an absolute missile from the edge of the box.

Moments later it was 2-0 and again defending was unimpressive from Lazio. A corner kick found Daniele Portanova’s free header at the near post with very little competition.

Lazio got their first shot on goal after 40 minutes at the Stadio Dall’Ara. Mauro Zarate skipped past his marker and the powerful daisy-cutter cracked against the base of the upright.

Tommaso Rocchi replaced the disappointing Biava and it sparked a reaction from the Biancocelesti. Bologna also threatened with a Santos header from Martins Adailton’s free kick skimming the post.

Just before half-time, an Aleksandar Kolarov cross from the left found Stefano Mauri to trap and smash a powerful screamer from outside the box.

Emiliano Viviano plucked a deflected Zarate cross-shot off the line straight after the restart.

Zarate then aimed a daisy-cutter at the base of the near post, forcing Viviano into another tricky save, as Lazio were now in control. The goalkeeper also had his palms stung by a Rocchi turn in the area.

The goal was in the air and finally arrived with Andre Dias scoring his first Serie A strike. It was a chaotic move with several shots that ricocheted around the box and Rocchi’s attempt came off the crossbar until Dias got the final touch.

Bologna quite simply disappeared from the pitch and Lazio went 3-2 up moments later. Brocchi’s backheel flick carried on a cross for Rocchi to scuff in from six yards.

Busce’ trapped a long free kick from close range on to fire over with only the only the goalkeeper to beat.

Zarate also wasted, as he went on the counter and fired straight at the goalkeeper.
Bologna: Viviano; Raggi, Portanova, Santos, Lanna; Buscè, Guana (Casarini 71), Mudingayi, Modesto (Gimenez 74); Adailton; Di Vaio (Succi 82)

Lazio: Muslera; Dias, Stendardo, Radu; Biava (Rocchi 38) (Firmani 89), Brocchi, Ledesma, Kolarov; Zarate, Mauri; Floccari (Cruz 78)

Ref: Rosetti

Italian football news: Siena 3-2 Bari
Rivas 13 (B), Ghezzal 17, 62 (S), Castillo 22 (B), Rosi 67 (S)
Stadio Franchi

Siena twice fought back to secure a shock victory over Bari that might be too late to avoid relegation.

Time is running out for Siena and they welcomed high-flying Bari in a desperate bid to keep hope alive. The visitors were missing long-term absentees Andrea Ranocchia, Mariano Donda, Sergio Almiron, Massimo Donati and Vitali Kutuzov. Robur had to do without Luca Rossettini, Francesco Parravicini, Daniele Ficagna and the suspended Emilson Sanchez Cribari.

Bari took the lead with a well-worked goal after 13 minutes. Paulo Vitor Barreto sprung the offside trap and had all the time in the world to roll across for the totally unmarked Emanuel Rivas to side-foot home.

The situation did not last long, as moments later Abdel Ghezzal burst into the box and hit a missile on the bounce that flashed past a helpless Jean-Francois Gillet.

The visitors restored their advantage with Barreto again the provider, this time rolling across for Nacho Castillo to beat Gianluca Curci at the second attempt.

Siena fought back once more, but this time Leonardo Bonucci did just enough to stop Marcelo Larrondo nodding in Massimo Maccarone’s cross. Gillet flew across the face of goal to deny a Ghezzal right-foot snapshot.

Both goalkeepers were kept busy by a series of great chances just before the break. Gillet needed a desperate reaction save to keep out Reginaldo from six yards and 60 seconds later Curci parried Castillo’s strike with yet another Barreto assist.

Maccarone’s free kick was smothered on the line, but Ghezzal made the most of a defensive slip on the edge of the area. Without hesitation he lobbed the goalkeepeer to complete his brace.

Gillet anticipated Maccarone and accidentally handed the ball to Larrondo, but Bonucci was back there to protect the open goal.

Siena completed the comeback by taking the lead! A goalline clearance denied the first strike from Del Grosso, but Bari could do nothing on Aleandro Rosi’s follow-up from a couple of yards.
Siena: Curci; Rosi, Pratali, Odibe (Malago’ 46), Del Grosso; Vergassola, Tziolis; Reginaldo (Calaio’ 55), Ghezzal, Maccarone; Larrondo (Jajalo 85)

Bari: Gillet; Belmonte, A Masiello, Bonucci, S Masiello; Rivas (Koman 40), De Vezze (Allegretti 70), Gazzi, Alvarez; Barreto (Gosztonyi 77), Castillo

Ref: Mazzoleni