Genoa draws against Parma 2-2 (Pala + Palla)

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Yesterday 2 of the best football playing teams of Italy: Genoa and Parma played against each other in Luigi Ferraris. The match was spectacular and on a high level. After 14 minutes Rodrigo Palacio scored his first Serie-A goal in front of Gradinata Nord: 1-0. Twelve minutes later Raffaele Palladino doubled the score, but the goal was annulated because of off-side. Parma became stronger and stronger and in 36th minute Biabiany scored the 1-1 equalizer. With this score the first half ended.

  Rodrigo Palacio celebrates his first goal in Serie A in front of Gradinata Nord

In the 2nd half it was again Biabiany who scored and brought Parma the lead. Genoa reacted immediately and goalkeeper Mirante became one of the most bussy players in the field. In the 21st minute Raffaele Palladino scored the equalizer: 2-2 with a great shot outside the penaltyarea just besides the post. Four minutes later Omar Milanetto scored 3-2, but the goal was irregulary annulated because of off-side while Milanetto was behind the ball at the moment Sculli passed it towards him. The last big chance was missed by Zaccardo who headed the ball just over the goal of Alessio Scarpi. The match ended in 2-2, which means Parma stays 4th and Genoa 7th in the standings.

Genoa beats Sampdoria 3rd time in a row: 3-0

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Gradinata Nord before Genoa-Sampdoria 3-0 (28-11-2009)

As usual Genoa-fans did win also the choreography

Distinti before Genoa-Sampdoria 3-0 (28-11-2009)

Figgi do Zena had their own choreography at Distinti

Enrico Preziosi is happy with the 3rd derby-victory in a row

Also President Enrico Preziosi was very happy with the 3rd victory and again 3 goals

As usual the derby started 1 week before the match. The supporters of Sampdoria made a pamphlet that they would take revanche for the 2 defeats last season: “all the arrogant Genoani in and outside the field should return depressively to their homes after the big lesson of Sampdoria at Saturday 28 November.” Of course we were all very frightened.

Mr. Gasperini again suprised the opponent, this time to play without a central forward. All the 3 wingplayers Palacio, Sculli and Palladino were in the line-up and changed their position constantly. The tactical move worked within 9 minutes when Palacio only could be stopped irregulary by Ziegler in the penaltyarea. Omar Milanetto scored the penalty: 1-0 

Omar Milanetto celebrates the openinggoal against Sampdoria

Also after the goal Genoa was the best team in the field and both Criscito (header on the crossbar) and Ziegler (shot the ball at his own post) were close to the 2nd goal. In the injury-time of the first half Giuseppe Biava got his second yellow card, so Sampdoria should start the 2nd half with 1 extra player in the field which gave them new hope unless the fact it was a miracle the score was still only 1-0.

Also 10 Genoani still controlled the match and were several times close to the 2nd goal, but goalkeeper Castellazzi saved the others of Genova at the beginning. In the 53rd also Castellazzi was without any chance when Marco Rossi scored out of an assist of man of the match Omar Milanetto: 2-0. In the 66th minute even Sampdoria lost a player with a red card and the match was played, especially when Raffaele Palladino scored the 2nd penalty after Sokratis was fouled in the penaltyarea, again by unlucky Ziegler: 3-0.

  Raffaele Palladino can not hear the Sampdoria-fans after his goal, unless the fact Juric tried to help them

Both the Sampdoria players and fans reacted very frustated on the way of celebrating of Palladino. Especially Italian international and captain of Sampdoria Angelo Palombo lost his head and was saved by referee Rosetti who certainly had tot give him a red card. It was only a matter of time and the 2nd red card of Sampdoria arrived still when frustrated Cacciatore tried to break the legs of Ivan Juric. The numbers of the second half were clear: Genoa scored twice and Sampdoria lost 2 players with a red card. Genoa stays the boss in the city for at least another half a season. Grazie ragazzi, also without Diego Milito we are still the best in town !!

Genoa lost in 93rd minute in Livorno: 2-1

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Against Lille in Europa League we did win the match in injury-time so we still can continue our European adventure after the winter. Yesterday we lost the match in the 93rd minute by a goal of Pulzetti. Sometimes you are lucky and sometimes …

Genoa played one of the most bad matches of the season. We lost the match in midfield, usually our strongest sector in the field. Maybe the fact that we missed 3 of the 4 central midfieldplayers, only Zapater was available, was too much. Next week in the derby Omar Milanetto surely returns after his squalification, while probably also Ivan Juric can return after his injury. After goals of Lucarelli and Mimmo Criscito and a yellow card to Mesto which means that he can not play the derby, everybody thought the match would end in a draw, which also would be the correct endresult. In the last minute all our defenders only looked for Lucarelli, so Pulzetti was completely free to score the winning goal.

Mimmo Criscito scores the equalizer against Livorno in the 3rd shirt of Genoa 

Fondazione wants reconstruct Luigi Ferraris

The new Luigi Ferraris

The city of Genova wants to build a new stadium in the city to be one of the cities of Euro 2016 which possibly will take place in Italy. The city-council and Sampdoria’s president Garrone want to build a new stadium anywhere in the city, while Genoa and their fans only want to stay in Luigi Ferraris. Of course Luigi Ferraris need to be reconstructed to be home of the Euro 2016, but this project costs only € 50 million, while a new stadium costs at least € 200 million. See the video that was presented today by the Fondazione Genoa, a group of Genoa-supporters that does everything to protect our Genoa against commercial and political influences and that is also responsable to the Genoa-museum:

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Genoa beats Siena in spectacular game: 4-2

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In the last match before the National team break the Gasperini-boys again booked a spectacular victory with the deciding goal in the last minute. After Hernan Crespo scored 1-0 and 2-0 it was Raffaele Palladino (tonight after many years selected by Mr. Lippi in the Italian National team) who put 3-0 as halftime score in the books. Game over ? 

Rodrigo Palacio against Siena; our winger plays better every week 

Unhappily not, because in the 80th and 82nd minute Siena scored 3-1 and 3-2, so everything was possible again also because of the fact many players of Genoa seemed tired after the match in Europa League last Thursday against Lille. In the 90th minute the deciding goal was scored by substitute Sergio Floccari: 4-2 and again 3 points to Genoa. We are now on the 6th position in the standings with 20 points in 12 matches, exactly the same as last season when we ended at the fifth position and went into Europa League.  

Hernan Crespo (2 goals) and Raffaele Palladino (1 goal) celebrate one of their goals against Siena

Genoa beats Lille in 93rd minute: 3-2

Giuseppe Sculli decided the match in the 93rd minute

Was it the Dutch referee in the field ? The goals of Genoa-Lille were exactly equal with the match Genoa-Ajax 17 years ago, only this time Genoa in the role of Ajax. At halftime Genoa leaded by 1-0 thanks to the goal of Rodrigo Palacio (in April 1992 Ajax leaded by 1-0 thanks to Pettersson out of a cross of our member of honour Johnny van ‘t Schip).

In the beginning of the 2nd half Hernan Crespo doubled the score (just like Bryan Roy in 1992) and at the moment you think the match is played Lille scored twice in only 8 minutes (as Aguilera did against Ajax) making the score 2-2. A draw did not help Genoa anything in the race to the next round so in the last minutes the Gasperini boys did everything to win. Just like Aron Winter in 1992 this time Giuseppe Sculli scored the deciding 3-2 in the last minute. The first match of a lot of Dutch members of Genoa Club Amsterdam is finally played again with this time our Genoa as winner ! 

the video thanks to www.noigenoani.net (mille grazie) 

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the last goal on Radio Nostalgia by Pinuccio Brenzini

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Because Valencia and Slavia draw in Praha (2-2 after Valencia leaded by 0-2), Lille is still on top of Group B with 7 points, Valencia and Genoa are both second with 6 points while Slavia Praha has only 2 points. The next round is on Wednesday 2nd December when Genoa plays in Praha and Valencia plays in Spain against Lille.

Palermo-Genoa 0-0; Both keepers best in field

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Last summer Palermo and Genoa changed their goalkeepers: Amelia and Rubinho. Yesterdaynight none of the two played in the match between the 2 teams. With Genoa experienced goalkeeper since January 2004 Alessio Scarpi defend the goal like he does a few times every season when the usual goalkeeper is injured. The last years Scarpi was a fantastic substitute, so we all hoped that also yesterday would be one of those days. And our hope came true, Alessio Scarpi was unbeatable against Palermo. Only Cavani could beat him with his hand in the 2nd minute, but the striker of Palermo received a yellow card of referee Brighi and Scarpi a free-kick. Offensively Palermo was the best in the first 40 minutes, Genoa in the last 50 minutes. Both teams were a few times close to a goal, but a draw was certainly the most honest result. Genoa is now on the shared 6th position in the standings with 17 points in 11 matches.

Alessio Scarpi played a fantastic match against Inter

Genoa beats Fiorentina:2-1 (Palladino,Mesto)

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Every Genoa-fan who watched the match last night has become at least 10 years older, but we have beaten Fiorentina. The team of Florence that stole 2 points last year which at the end gave them a place in Champions League. Last year we deserved a lot more to win than this year, but who cares! Now Genoa is on the shared 5th position with Milan.

Genoa missed the line-up players Moretti, Criscito, Juric and Mesto in the field and Mr. Gasperini on the bench in this important match against the purple of Toscany. In the beginning Fiorentina was the best team in the field, but after half an hour Genoa went stronger and stronger. The openinggoal was fabulously scored by Raffaele Palladino with a backwards shot that surprised everybody including experienced goalkeeper Frey of Fiorentina: 1-0, which was also the score at halftime.

Raffaele Palladino scores with his fantastic backwards shot against Fiorentina  

In the 2nd half Fiorentina was the master in the field and after they hit the post twice substitute Marchionni scored the deserved equalizer: 1-1. The joy of the Toscanies lasted only ten minutes when substitute Palacio gave a fantastic assist to the other substitute Mesto who scored easily under Frey: 2-1. After the goal Fiorentina was again the best team in the game, but our defense with goalkeeper Amelia did not break like last year, so this time we beat the rivals of Florence: 2-1. 

Giandomenico Mesto scores the winning goal against Fiorentina under Frey

Stronger Genoa beaten by Cagliari + Gava:3-2

Genoa took 2 times the lead by goals of Mesto and Floccari but at the end Cagliari with the help of referee Gava decided the match with 2 goals in the last minutes.

Rafaelle Palladino again was one of the best Genoa-players

The problem of the matches against Inter and Lille was that we did not score, worse we hardly get real chances to make a goal. Yesterday we scored twice, a lucky free-kick by Mesto and a regular goal by Floccari. Till 15 minutes before the end Genoa was only beaten by an off-side goal of Cagliari and everything seemed under control. In the 77th minute referee Gava gave Cagliari a penalty because of hands of Biava and a second yellow, so red card to Moretti. The penalty was scored by Nene and 3 minutes before the end also the last goal was totally unnecessary scored by Cagliari after Sokratis lost the ball without any reason on midfield. Again a defeat of Genoa, but this time we deserved at least a draw. Wednesday we can have revanche if Fiorentina visits Luigi Ferraris.

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Genoa beaten by Lille in Europa League: 3-0

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A beautiful European day to 2000 Genoani including the 6 members of Genoa Club Amsterdam (Ad, Bart, John, Paolo, Tim and Hans) ended in a disaster. In the morning we left Holland and 3 hours later we already reached the border of France. After a visit of Tournai to meet Luca and friends we went to Lille and entered the stadium together with Eugenio who took care of our tickets in the Main-stand.

Genoa started the match with Criscito, Juric and Rossi back in the line-up. Unfortunately we missed experienced defender Biava with influenza. In the first 38 minutes both teams were equal with only little opportunites to both sites. In the 38th minute Lille opened the score by a header of Obraniak. This goal and the fact that Criscito had to leave the field with an injury (did Mimmo start to soon after his injury?) changed the match completely.

Juric, Milanetto and Moretti have to defend against Lille

After the break Genoa tried to play more offensive to score the equalizer, but every minute Lille became stronger. Maybe the 0-5 defeat against Inter last Saturday still was in the mind of our players because it looked like that a lot of them did not had any self-confidence. In the 63rd minute the expected second goal of Lille was scored by Vittek.

Vittek scored the 2-0 of Lille; Milanetto and Moretti are beaten

Also in the last half an hour Genoa tried to return in the match, but it never happened. Six minutes before the end also the last and most frustrating goal of the match was scored by Lille. A great run of youngster Hazard ended behind our goalkeeper Amelia: 3-0. The other match between Valencia and Slavia Praha ended in a 1-1 draw, so Genoa stays on the third position and has to win the next 2 matches against Lille and Slavia Praha to have a chance to be present in Europe after the winter.