Another magnificent weekend in Italy full of heartbreak and relief. Roma snap their 4-game draw spree, but Lazio and Sampdoria continue to drop points in the race for a spot in European competition and Fiorentina avoid a scare and great fashion. Here are the biggest matches of Week 22 of the Serie A.
Juventus 3-1 AC Milan
One of the biggest match-ups in Italian and world soccer is Juventus vs. AC Milan.
Carlos Tevez opened up the scoring for Juventus in the 14th minute as Alvaro Morata sent Tevez over the top of the defenders. Tevez took the ball to the goal from the halfway line and hit the ball just under the arm of Diego Lopez. Although the Assistant Referee had a good vantage point of the line, he failed to mark him off-sides.
Luca Antonelli had the equalizer in the 28th rising higher than the rest of the men on a corner-kick and directing the ball to the far post leaving no chance for Gianluigi Buffon.
Carlos Tevez did well to put a cleared ball back into the box with his head which then found Leonardo Bonucci who just redirected it in between Lopez and Sulley Ali Muntari in the 31st minute to give them the lead before the half.
Alvaro Morata sealed all three points for Juventus as he hit home an easy goal the bounced of the post from a great shot by Claudio Marchisio. Unlucky for Diego Lopez there, but a great shot none-the-less.
Fiorentina 3-2 Atalanta
Fiorentina avoid the scare of being defeated by the 16th place team.
A goal from Davide Zappacosta off of a great cross towards the back-post gave Atalanta and early lead in the 8th minute.
Fiorentina responded appropriately scoring nine minutes later as Jose Bastana got great contact with the ball with his on a set piece to hit it home.
Fiorentina kept pressing for a goal and were finally able to take the lead in the 76th minute with some great skill by Alessandro Diamanti to fool two defenders and take it to the goal almost uncontested.
Atalanta were determined to leave with a point and equalized the game in the 83rd minute.
A low ball across the goal was missed by four Fiorentina defenders and was allowed to reach the back post where it found Richmond Boakye. A huge mistake for the Fiorentina defense.
Manuel Pasqual was the hero of the day in the 89th minute securing all three points for Fiorentina as Matias Fernandez was allowed to send in a medium height cross across the mouth of the goal and sloppy defending, as well as goalkeeping, allowed the cross to find the feet of Pasqual and into the goal.
Cagliari 1-2 Roma
Roma took a well deserved lead in the 38th minute with a fantastic chip ball over the defense from Daniele Verde to Adem Ljajic who did well to control it and smash it home from a few yards out.
Roma kept most of the possession, but did not have as many chances as they would have liked.
They extended the lead late in the 85th minute with a great shot of a bouncing volley from Leandro Paredes from the 18 yard box. It was not hit with all that much power, but it found the very bottom corner of the goal to beat the keeper.
Cagliari scored a consolation goal in the dying seconds of stoppage time as Danilo Avelars’ cross was met by a striding Paul M’Poku to beat Morgan De Sanctis.
Roma are finally able to close the gap on Juventus, but they are still behind seven points.
Sampdoria 1-1 Sassuolo
Fifth place Sampdoria drop points for the fourth game in a row, this time to twelth place Sassuolo.
Both goals were scored in the first ten minutes of the match.
Sassuolo scored first in the 2nd minute as Francesco Acerbi rose high to meet a great cross and hit it home with power.
Sampdoria resonded in the 9th minute as Eder Martins also did well to meet a medium height cross from Roberto Soriano and directed it to the far post.
It was an intense game for both sides as there were a total 47 Fouls committed and 10 yellow cards, but no red cards.
Inter Milan 3-0 Palermo
Inter finally find their winning ways and in great fashion.
Freddy Guarin opened up the scoring hitting in a low header in the 16th minute.
Mauro Icardi doubled the lead in the 65th minute. Rodrigo Palacio flicked a cross back towards Icardi who took a good touch to control before putting it in the back of the net.
Icardi got his second two minutes before full-time beating a defender to the ball with his head meeting a cross from Guarin to secure a shutout.
Inter will not move much on the table with this win, but it will be a big confidence booster for the team if they are to continue their winning ways.
Lazio 0-1 Genoa
Lazio were unfortunate as the goal from Genoa came from a penalty scored by Diego Perotti in the 30th minute resulting from the sending off of keeper Federico Marchetti. Indeed a penalty, but a little harsh from the referee.
Lazio has not been able to gain all three points in three matches.
