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Giovanni Tedesco's brace gave Palermo the Derby del Sud with a thoroughly entertaining 2-1 win over Napoli that was packed with incident.
The two biggest clubs in the South came face to face in an early challenge for a place in Europe. The Rosanero had drawn their last five on the trot and only won at the Stadio Barbera once this season, but also had to do without Fabrizio Miccoli, Mark Bresciano, Giulio Migliaccio and suspended duo Amauri and Roberto Guana.
Alberto 'Jimmy' Fontana ran a real risk early on when he rushed out to grab a wayward clearance and caught the ball only just inside his own penalty area. Fontana performed an absolutely stunning save moments later, as he got down to fingertip Ezequiel Lavezzi's low drive out of the bottom near corner from point-blank range.
Giuseppe Biava had a strong penalty shout for Paolo Cannavaro's embrace in the box, then Gennaro Iezzo smothered a powerful snapshot from Edison Cavani.
At the other end Marek Hamsik ran on to a defensive error and smacked his strike just over the bar.
Palermo should have scored two or three goals in the same move, but couldn't get any of them in, the most obvious a Tedesco diving header from six yards that cracked against the upright.
The Rosanero hit the post 120 seconds later, as Franco Brienza unleashed a swerving left-foot snapshot that shook the same upright!
Matteo Contini limped off with an ankle problem to make way for Ruben Maldonado, while Marcelo Zalayeta and Fabio Simplicio really should have done better from a header and volley. Brienza's free kick was just over, but Napoli staged a siege on the Sicilian net with Fontana parrying Lavezzi's effort with his legs.
Moments later it was the Napoli goalkeeper who had to get down very quickly at full stretch to palm a Brienza strike round the base of the upright. It was spectacular end-to-end stuff in these final minutes of the first half, as in the same move Cavani and Brienza both tripped with the goal gaping and then Walter Gargano's counter was closed down in the area. Mariano Bogliacino also drilled over from distance.
After the restart Iezzo blocked a Simplicio free kick and Brienza had a penalty appeal waved away for a challenge from Maurizio Domizzi.
It was Napoli who eventually broke the deadlock in chaotic fashion. Bogliacino got in front of Cristian Zaccardo for a diving header on Lavezzi's cross from the right. However, the brave header also saw him kicked in the face as Zaccardo tried to clear the ball. He had no time to celebrate, as he was stretchered off with a deep cut to the bridge of his nose and another on his eyebrow, but the Uruguayan was able to continue with the aid of bandages.
Just as Bogliacino came back on to the field, Palermo scored their equaliser. It was a spectacular effort from Tedesco. The cross was flicked on by a defender and Tedesco trapped the ball before placing a fine volley with the outside of his right boot into the far top corner, but it took an extra swerve off Savini.
The Rosanero nearly turned it around, Iezzo taking two touches to control an ambitious Aimo Diana screamer. They did it on 66 minutes with Tedesco's second of the game. A corner kick whistled past Iezzo and Tedesco got there first for a volley under the roof of the net from three yards, but the Napoli defence left the little man totally unmarked.
The referee pointed to the spot when Garics blocked a dangerous cross with his arm, but the linesman talked Roberto Rosetti into changing his mind, as he insisted - correctly - that the ball had struck him on the chest.
Cavani should have made it 3-1 when he pounced on a defensive error, but Domizzi managed to close him down for a corner as he pulled the trigger. Napoli poured forward and Fontana fumbled two consecutive shots from Lavezzi, but the Azzurri were unable to make the most of them.
Fontana plucked a cross off Emanuele Calaio's head and Brienza was stopped clear on goal for an incorrect offside flag. There were six minutes of stoppages, but Napoli could not find a way through, as in the final seconds Lavezzi got a cross in despite being surrounded by three defenders and Cannavaro turned it wide.
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