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Siena showed remarkable character to snatch an epic 3-2 victory in Sicily, but Fabrizio Miccoli missed a penalty as Palermo dive into a crisis.
Francesco Guidolin's side had several confidence-slamming blows this week, crushed 3-0 at Sampdoria and then eliminated from the Coppa Italia midweek with a stoppage-time Federico Agliardi howler against Udinese. Siena were on a relative high, having almost held leaders Inter in a slender and controversial 3-2 defeat. Daniele Galloppa was suspended, while Paul Codrea faced his former club. Surprisingly, Fernando Martin Forestieri was given his first start just four days after turning 18.
This was only the fourth edition of this fixture in Serie A and there had never previously been a draw with a 2006 away victory and two defeats.
Within four minutes the Rosanero had taken the lead as a Fabrizio Miccoli free kick was nodded in by Amauri from seven yards.
The situation lasted all of 60 seconds before Siena drew level! Tomas Locatelli may be a veteran, but he was quickest to react and turn in when Paolo De Ceglie's cross bounced around between three Palermo defenders.
There was chaos on eight minutes from a corner, as Giuseppe Biava, Fabio Simplicio and Cristian Zaccardo came flying in, but none of them could bundle it over the line from a yard, as Alex Manninger and Codrea used their bodies as a barrier.
Inredibly, the action kept coming as moments later Siena took the lead! Rossettini's sweeping cross from the right was toe-poked in at full stretch by Massimo Maccarone against the run of play.
Simone Loria nodded off target from a corner, but as he ran up the other end he clattered into Roberto Guana for a penalty. Miccoli took control of the spot-kick, but despite sending Manninger the wrong way, he chipped his effort on to the crossbar!
Manninger performed a spectacular reaction save on Amauri's header from point-blank range, then Codrea charged down a Zaccardo attempt.
Forestieri fired over from a promising position, but Siena lost De Ceglie to injury. Simone Vergassola's goalline clearance kept out a Biava header.
Simplicio thought he had drawn the Rosanero level in first half stoppages, but at the end of a splendid Andrea Barzagli run the Brazilian turned inches wide of the near post with the inside of his right foot.
Daniele Portanova's brave diving header was almost a goalline clearance on Amauri's splendid volley, as Palermo reshuffled the pack with two substitutions after the break.
Amauri hit the woodwork with a spectacular volley from outside the box. From the resulting corner kick, Miccoli also went close.
A Miccoli free kick hit the defensive wall, but Maccarone's arm was raised and the referee awarded a penalty. Miccoli had already missed in the first half, but went back on the spot and this time scored, despite Manninger getting the right angle.
Siena had been under siege in the second half, but showed extraordinary character to restore their advantage within 120 seconds. Simone Loria got the goal with a looping header that dipped into the far top corner of the net.
Palermo poured forward, but Forestieri threatened a fourth for Siena, Alberto Fontana tipping his strike over the bar.
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