Genoa Club Amsterdam

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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.

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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.

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. 

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.

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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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.

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.

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.

For the first time in 26 years Genoa lost a homematch with a difference of 5 goals. Last Saturdaynight Inter played one of their best matches of the last years and beat Genoa by 0-5. Unless the ball-possession of 53% Genoa shot only 1 time on the goal of Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar. Omar Milanetto scored, but the goal was dubiously annulated because of off-side. The black and blue of Milano with a fantastic Wesley Sneijder shot 6 times on the goal of Amelia and scored 5 times, 3 goals in the first half and the other 2 after the tea-break. With 13 points in 8 matches Genoa is now 6th in the standings.

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