Heading into the Giallorossi's visit to Stadio Luigi Ferraris I was expecting a "unique" match where tactics and the peculiarity of scheduling weighed heavy on the outcome. Along with the some rather unfortunate injuries on Roma's part, Gian Piero Gasperini’s Rossoblu might never be in a better time to face them. This proved to be true as Genoa defeated Roma in a convincing 3-1 fashion on the strength of two goals by Diego Milito and Giuseppe Sculli.
Genoa started fast against the Francesco Totti-less Roma, getting on the scoreboard at the four-minute mark when a Andrea Gasbarroni cross found a poorly marked Giuseppe Sculli, who then slotted it to the back of the net. Roma kept its calm and twenty-five minutes later Daniele De Rossi poached on his rebound and leveled the match. Through the balance of the half both squad's created respectable scoring opportunities but either goal could not be breached. Ten minutes after the break, Genoa stirred it's bench with a move I have waited to see this campaign and shortly Raffaele Palladino and Rubén Olivera came on for Andrea Gasbarroni and Giuseppe Sculli to form a new striking trident with Diego Milito. It was a masterstroke by Gian Piero Gasperini and it paid off quickly as the change of pace and style of movement was problematic to deal with at this stage of the match. At the sixty-first minute of the match a Ivan Jurić header into the box was poached upon by Diego Milito and he gave Genoa the 2-1 lead in the first of his two goals. Roma appeared to have leveled the match with a Christian Panucci but in a call that many will question intently, he was called offside. The venom of the match definitely increased and the challenges took on a harsher tone with resulting yellow cards. With twenty-two minutes left Daniele De Rossi received his second yellow and Roma was playing a man down. Finally with two minutes left a Raffaele Palladino crossing pass to Diego Milito in-close, was quickly driven in to give Genoa the 3-1 lead, where the score concluded.
Grifone supporters will take a great deal from this match, not simply the victory but showing the fortitude to strike when the opportunity presented itself. Points in Serie A are and always will be at a premium and when an opponent the magnitude of Roma is a undesirable position you must take advantage of it. I contend Serie A is the best matched league in Europe where the skill set is so remarkably high in each of the teams that coaching brilliance turn each match into a chess mastery.
Genoa returns to action on Saturday in a trip to Firenze.
Genoa
Rubinho,Matteo Ferrari,Domenico Criscito,Francesco Modesto (Giandomenico Mesto 79'),Giuseppe Biava,Ivan Jurić,Omar Milanetto,Omar Milanetto, Andrea Gasbarroni (Raffaele Palladino 56'),Diego Milito,Giuseppe Sculli (Rubén Olivera 59')
Roma
Doni,John Arne Riise, Cicinho, Christian Panucci,Simone Loria,Simone Perrotta (Alberto Aquilani 78'),Daniele De Rossi,Matteo Brighi,Rodrigo Taddei (Stefano Okaka 76'),Mirko Vučinić,Jérémy Menez (Vincenzo Montella 84')
