Marco Storari has unquestionably been one of the key factors in Messina’s likely survival this term, as his heroics in Week 33 against Inter underlined. The goalkeeper has been impressive all season but saved perhaps his best for the unexpected 2-1 win over the San Siro giants on Sunday afternoon.

It had looked like Inter, who were on a four-game winning streak, would make it five in Sicily after taking the lead thanks to Julio Cruz. Yet the home side hit back but only after Storari, who was also struggling with a shoulder problem, made a string of fine saves to bring Inter’s unbeaten away record in Serie A this term to a halt.

It was somewhat ironic that Storari proved so decisive against Inter. Especially as the Nerazzurri basically collected the three points at Juventus on Wednesday as a result of a stunning performance by their own ‘keeper, Francesco Toldo, to keep out a Bianconeri onslaught at the Delle Alpi. This time they were denied a victory by an equally impressive goalkeeper.

Storari started his career in the Perugia youth system but the Pisa-born custodian never made a League appearance for the Umbrian outfit during his three years in the first-team squad. He eventually left the outfit in 1998 when Ancona snapped him up but first team football was again slow to arrive.

He eventually got his chance during his second campaign as he was handed the No 1 jersey. Storari, who is now 28-years-old, was an almost ever present in the side as the outfit won promotion to Serie B. Yet by 2002, Storari had lost his place in the starting XI to Alessio Scarpi and another move beckoned.

He joined sleeping giants Napoli in 2002 as the San Paolo outfit looked for promotion from the Second Division. But the club’s mounting off the field financial problems made it difficult for Storari, or any of the other players, to really produce the goods expected from them by the demanding San Paolo faithful.

The shot-stopper needed another change and that duly arrived in January 2003 when he headed south for Messina. It proved to be a wise choice for Storari who thanks to the club’s promotion last season, was finally given the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in Italian football.

The net-minder settled quickly into top-flight life and has been superb. His form was so good that he was strongly linked with a move to Roma given the goalkeeping problems in the capital this season. Yet Messina have recognised Storari’s contribution and moved quickly to tie him down to a new contract until 2008.

Now all that remains for Storari this term is to make sure that he’ll still be guarding a Serie A goal in 2005-06. "We can see safety now because we have recognised what our limits are as a team," says the Italian. "However, we are not mathematically sure of survival just yet. We need to keep fighting until the very end." Either that or just rely on Storari to keep making match winning saves…