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| | Spotlight: Zoom on Zalayeta |
Monday 3 March, 2008
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| Football Italia rounds up the winners and the losers from Week 26 of the Serie A season |
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The winners…
Marcelo Zalayeta (Napoli)
He returned from a two-match ban and within three minutes scored the goal that ended Inter’s unbeaten Serie A record. Yet he almost lost this candidacy for a dismal penalty saved by the extraordinary Julio Cesar, but considering the importance of this strike for the whole season, he can be forgiven.
Cesare Prandelli (Fiorentina)
Many expected the Viola to collapse without Adrian Mutu, but Prandelli’s substitutions proved inspired as Ndiaye Papa Waigo and Daniel Osvaldo turned the game around in Turin. This is a team that plays entertaining football and can fight for third place, with or without the Romanian.
Federico Agliardi (Palermo)
The goalkeeper was considered a disaster area earlier this season and relegated to the bench, but when 41-year-old Alberto Fontana went off injured, he stepped up with confidence. A string of great saves earned Palermo’s goalless draw at Reggina.
The losers…
Antonio Cassano (Sampdoria)
We’re here again. A fine performance, a wonderful goal and a childish tantrum. You’re certainly never bored with Cassano and at least this time he admitted he’d been “an idiot,” but Sampdoria would do well to invest in a psychiatrist.
Marco Materazzi (Inter)
Pace has never been his strong point, but he looked as if he was in slow motion when Ezequiel Lavezzi ran at him and only Julio Cesar’s miraculous save prevented him from scoring a comical own goal.
Damiano Zenoni (Parma)
Really this should be the entire Ducali defence, but Zenoni stood out with a disastrous clearance to gift Mirko Vucinic Roma’s fourth goal. It’s little wonder they are battling against relegation.
The goals…
Francesco Totti (Roma)
Alberto Aquilani’s was a challenger considering the build-up, but nobody could beat Totti’s fearsome finish after Mauro Esposito’s delightful back heel.
Mohamed Sissoko (Juventus)
Last week an overhead kick gave away a penalty, this Sunday it created a spectacular goal from the former Liverpool man not known for his scoring touch.
Alessandro Diamanti (Livorno)
He’s only had two career goals in Serie A, but they were both peaches. The man who was in Serie C last season smashed a left-foot screamer from 25 metres to sink Catania.
The numbers…
31 and out
Inter were unbeaten in 31 consecutive Serie A rounds, 23 of which were victories. The last side to KO the Scudetto holders were Roma with a 3-1 result at San Siro on April 18, 2007. This means the Nerazzurri hadn’t lost away from home since April 30, 2006 when Marco Materazzi’s own goal gave Empoli a 1-0 win.
Turin taboo
Fiorentina had not conquered Juventus on their travels since May 15, 1988, when Roberto Baggio and Alberto Di Chiara secured a 2-1 result. It was followed by 14 defeats and just four draws. In fact, the Viola hadn’t beaten the Bianconeri home or away since Gabriel Batistuta’s lone strike on December 13, 1998.
Pato’s lullaby
The last time Lazio beat Milan at San Siro in Serie A was on September 3, 1989 – the day after Alexandre Pato was born. Between the two of them, strikers Alberto Paloschi and Pato are younger than the goalkeeper they were facing, 43-year-old Marco Ballotta.
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| Words: Paul Watson |
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Past Spotlights
A unique review of each round of the 2007-08 Serie A campaign. More |
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