Genoa draws against Bari: 1-1 (Milanetto)

The free-kick goal of Omar Milanetto against Bari

Unless the fact that our goalkeeper Marco Amelia could play cards because he had almost nothing to do tonight we only draw against Bari: 1-1. Our goal was scored by Omar Milanetto in the 52 minute.

The match started completely wrong. After the 3-0 defeat in Rome, Genoa needed some trust but after only 5 minutes Bari scored a very dubious goal because of off-side and a handball of Barreto. Now after the match we can say that this was the only time Bari was close to our goal, but at that moment it was a little shock to all Genoani. After Milanetto first missed a big chance eye to eye with goalkeeper Gillet, in the 52nd minute Genoa got a free-kick just outside the penalty-area. Omar “Hannibal” Milanetto tried to shoot the ball over the wall in the near corner, but Almiron touched the ball and it went in the far corner: 1-1. Several times Genoa was close to the second goal and Juric hit the post with another free-kick, but despite the fact the cornerscore was 12-0 it lasted 1-1. Genoa is now 11th in the standings with 28 points in 20 matches.

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Mr. Gasperini selects 20 players to beat Bari

Luigi Ferraris

Tomorrow Genoa plays the match against AS Bari that was cancelled at 20th December because of the snow in Luigi Ferraris stadium. The president of AS Bari Mr. Matarrese still believes that the match was cancelled because Genoa played a hard match against Valencia in Europa League a few days before the 20th December. Of course the words of Bari’s president are a good motivation to our team. Mr. Gasperini selected the following 20 players, including the young strikers El Shaarawy and Ragusa:

GOALKEEPERS: Amelia, Scarpi

DEFENDERS: Biava, Bocchetti, Dainelli, Moretti, Sokratis

MIDFIELDERS: Criscito, Fatic, Juric, Milanetto, Rossi, Tomovic, Zapater

STRIKERS: Crespo, El Shaarawy, Mesto, Ragusa, Suazo, Sculli

Genoa without any chance against Roma: 3-0

Dario Dainelli controls Luca Toni

The feeling before the match was good, unless the fact that Genoa missed 3 of the 4 wingstrikers with Jankovic, Palladino and Palacio. Only Giuseppe Sculli was able to play, but also he had to leave the pitch with an injury after only 30 minutes. At that moment Roma already took te lead by a goal of Perrotta in the 16th minute. When Mesto missed a great chance to score the equalizer and Luca Toni scored the 2nd goal of Roma the match was over, while there were still 45 minutes to play. In the 2nd half Luca Toni also scored his second goal and Sculli’s substitute Ivan Fatic missed a great chance eye to eye with the goalkeeper of Roma, so we lost 3-0. We only have to wait till Wednesday to have the chance for a revanche against Bari that draw against Inter this weekend: 2-2.

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Genoa with 21 players against A.S. Roma

David Suazo our new striker

After the battle against Catania last Wednesday Genoa plays today against A.S. Roma. In the first match of this season Genoa beat Roma in Luigi Ferraris by goals of Criscito, Zapater and Biava (3-2). The last years our red and blue boys always played good matches in Stadio Olimpico but we were always unlucky. Mr. Gasperini selected the following 21 players:

GOALKEEPERS: Amelia, Russo, Scarpi

DEFENDERS: Biava, Bocchetti, Dainelli, Esposito, Moretti, Sokratis

MIDFIELDERS: Criscito, Fatic, Juric, Milanetto, Modesto, Rossi, Tomovic, Zapater

STRIKERS: Crespo, Mesto, Suazo, Sculli

Stadio Olimpico in Rome  
 

Catania + Velotto beat Genoa in Coppa Italia

Genoa is out of the Coppa Italia. Our red and blue boys lost 1-2 against Catania, the same team we beat last Sunday by 2-0 in Serie A.

The biggest differences between the 2 matches: this time Genoa played with 6 substitutes and referee Velotto. After Catania took the lead by 0-2 (2 goals of Plasmati) in the first 7 minutes it was Genoa that made the match. In the 56th minute Marco Rossi scored 1-2 and all 7.600 fans in the stadium waited (and hoped) for the equalizer. Only referee Velotto did not want that Genoa would return in the match, because in the 58th minute he gave a red card to both Sokratis and Marco Rossi (Captain of Genoa who protested against the red card of Sokratis) so Genoa had to end the match with 9 players. Believe it or not, also with only 9 players Genoa was close to the deserved equalizer when Hernan Crespo’s shot touched the post in the 89th minute. The 9 players of Genoa did fight like lions, but it did not succeed: 1-2 and Catania plays in the quarter finals against A.S. Roma, our opponent of next Sunday.

After the match against Catania defender Dario Dainelli was presented to the press by Mr. Preziosi

After the match, also some happy news. Experienced defender Dario Dainelli was presented to the press. Sunday he plays his first match with Genoa against his old Fiorentina-friend Luca Toni, the new striker of A.S. Roma.

Dainelli new defender; again Genoa-Catania

Dario Dainelli (nr. 3) never wants to be beaten again by our strikers

After a lot of rumours finally our new strong central defender arrived: the 30 years old, 1.91 meters tall captain of Fiorentina: Dario Dainelli. The experienced defender costed Mr. Preziosi € 2,5 million and signed a contract till the summer of 2013.

Genoa plays tomorrow-evening at 18.30 hours in the 1/8 finals of Coppa Italia against Catania, the same opponent we beat last Sunday by 2-0. Mr. Gasperini selected the following 18 players for tomorrows match:

Goalkeepers: Amelia, Scarpi

Defenders: Bocchetti, Esposito, Moretti, Sokratis, Tomovic

Midfielders: Criscito, Fatic, Juric, Milanetto, Modesto, Rossi, Zapater

Strikers: Crespo, Mesto, Suazo, Sculli

Genoa beats Catania by 2-0 (Mesto and Sculli)

Giandomenico Mesto opened the score against Catania

After the defeats against Lazio and Milan and the draw against Parma finally again a victory to Genoa. After a nervous start our red and blue team became stronger and stronger. In the 28th minute Catania-defender Bellusci got his second yellow card after he stopped Suazo irregulary, so Catania had to play with only 10 players. From this moment there was only 1 team in the field: Genoa ! Giandomenico Mesto scored the first goal in the 36th minute with a header out of a cross of Criscito, while Mesto himself gave the assist to the second goal: a header of Giuseppe Sculli in the 71st minute: 2-0.

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19 Players selected to beat Catania

Giandomenico Mesto is happy after his first goal with Genoa

Our captain Marco Rossi is suspended this afternoon because of his yellow card against Milan. Sassa Bocchetti returns after his suspension and also Moretti and Sokratis can play in defense. Mr Gasperini selected the following 19 players to play today in the important match against Catania:

Goalkeepers: Amelia, Scarpi

Defenders: Biava, Bocchetti, Esposito, Fatic, Moretti, Sokratis

Midfielders: Criscito, Juric, Mesto, Milanetto, Modesto, Tomovic, Zapater

Strikers: Crespo, Palacio, Suazo, Sculli

A.C. Milan too strong: 5-2 (Sculli and Suazo)

Marco Borriello (in off-side position) scores against his former team Genoa

Yesterday A.C. Milan was much too strong comparing to our Gasperini-boys. Also without the help of referee Orsato (3 penalties to Milan and 1 goal scored in off-side) the red and black deserved the victory. Genoa is now on the 12th position in the standings, but we have 1 match less (Genoa-Bari) then most of the other teams.

Genoa started with Criscito as left-defender to substitute the suspended Bocchetti. Already in the 13th minute Orsato gave Milan the first penalty when Ambrosini on purpose fell down over the outstanding leg of Biava. Amelia stopped the penalty of Ronaldinho. In the 25th minute Genoa stole the lead when Giuseppe Sculli headed an assist of Palacio behind goalkeeper Dida: 0-1. The joy lasted only 6 minutes when Orsato gave Ronaldinho a new chance to score a penalty. Again Ambrosini acted very good that Amelia failed him, but for real he already dived with his 2 legs similar against each other in the air before there was any contact.

Lesson nr. 1 to a referee: if a striker falls down like this it is never a penalty 

This time Ronaldinho scored the penalty: 1-1. A few minutes after this goal Moretti had to leave the pitch because of an injury which meant the end of the match to him and to the rest of Genoa. With only 1 real defender (Biava) the strikers of Milan were much too strong. Thiago Silva scored 2-1 only 1 minute after Moretti left the field and in the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half our ex-striker Marco Borriello scored 3-1 and 4-1 (fantastic goal, but in off-side). In the 74th minute Huntelaar scored the 3rd penalty of the match, while Suazo scored our second and his first goal in the shirt of Genoa: 5-2.

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Happy New Year 2010 !! Genoa 5th in 2009

fireworks

Happy New Year to all Genoani in the world ! Let’s hope 2010 will be like 2009 with 2 victories in the derby (3-0 and 3-1), qualification to European football and the 5th position in Serie A. The standings over the complete calenderyear 2009:

  1. Inter             38-81

  2. Milan            37-72

  3. Juventus        38-68

  4. A.S. Roma     39-68

  5. Genoa       37-63

  6. Fiorentina      37-60