World NewsBresc's Boys Enjoy Juve Victory |
PALERMO continue to impress under new boss Davide Ballardini as they posted a 2-1 win away to 10-man Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ballardini took over as boss of the Rosaneri last month and has since seen his side claim four wins in five games.His latest triumph was sealed by a goal from teenage Georgia international Levan Mchedlidze nine minutes from time after Juventus, who were reduced to 10 men following Mohammed Sissoko's dismissal after 41 minutes, looked like they might hold on for a point.
A stunning Alessandro Del Piero free-kick after 38 minutes had cancelled out Fabrizio Miccoli's earlier strike, but the game turned again three minutes later when Sissoko was given his marching orders for his second bookable offence.
And the added workload of having a man down eventually told on Juve when Mchedlidze struck to condemn the Old Lady to their fourth game without victory.
Juve had the first chance of the game after four minutes when Del Piero lined up a free-kick, but his effort was tame and Marco Amelia saved easily.
Sebastian Giovinco was being employed by Juve coach Claudio Ranieri in an unusual role behind the strikers and he crafted an opening after 10 minutes only for the defence to recover and block his shot.
Zdenek Grygera then narrowly headed over the crossbar, but despite Juve having the best of the early chances they fell behind to a goal from Miccoli, a former player at the Stadio Olimpico, after 24 minutes.
The diminutive striker showed his eye for goal as he pounced on a loose ball after Gianluigi Buffon had saved Edinson Cavani's long-range strike to tap home into the net with the goalkeeper unable to recover in time.
Ranieri responded by moving Sebastian Giovinco back to his normal position on the left as Juve returned to a 4-4-2 formation and it took them 15 minutes to get level through Del Piero, who was only handed his start after Vicenzo Iaquinta - who scored both goals in midweek - was injured in training on Saturday.
The Italy international scored his first league goal of the campaign with a marvellous free-kick from just outside the area that wrong-footed Amelia in the Palermo goal.
But just when the home side looked like they were getting back into the game they suffered a major blow when Sissoko was shown his second yellow card of the afternoon after 41 minutes for a bad challenge.
Palermo began the second half intent on making their numerical advantage tell on the scoreboard and went close with Antonio Nocerino forcing a save from Buffon while the keeper had to leave his line to clear after a dangerous counter-attack from the away side.
With Juve looking to defend their point, chances were at a premium as the game wore on although Del Piero shot wildly from long range as he sought an unlikely winner 20 minutes from time.
When the winner came it was from a fine Palermo counter-attacking move launched by Fabio Simplicio and ended by Mchedlidze, who gave Buffon no chance to save with a clinical left-foot finish.
Juve tried to rally and Del Piero generously passed when perhaps he should have shot to let Palermo off the hook before Simplicio missed the chance late on to add another, taking too much time to allow Buffon time to clear.
But in the end it did not matter as Palermo picked up their first away points of the campaign and drop Juve into the bottom half of the Serie A table.
Copyright (c) 2009 Press Association
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