Genoa holds Inter Milan to nil draw

Gian Piero Gasperini's Rossoblu continued on their re-birth holding Inter Milan scoreless at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza while playing a man down the last half hour with Ivan Jurić excused after his second yellow-card.

Before the break, Genoa displayed an eye towards a victory and were clearly the aggressor in the attacking end with Nerazzurri unable to break-through the determined visitors. The match started with a quick pace that suggested goals were imminent. Twenty minutes after the opening whistle Ivan Jurić's slick cross to Diego Milito was headed-on but Inter 'keeper Júlio César easily handled. Thirty-five minutes into the match Genoa squandered another opportunity to score as Thiago Motta was in perfect position to poach a rebound but his attempt went astray at the match went to the break scoreless.

At the re-start José Mourinho, obviously annoyed by the lack of production up-front double substituted Adriano and Ricardo Quaresma for Mario Balotelli and Victor Obinna respectively. Tension ran hot and with a number of harsh challenges, yellow cards began to add up. This cost Genoa dearly as at the sixtieth minute Ivan Jurić received his second yellow and Rossoblu were down a man. Tactically Genoa had to respond and Anthony Vanden Borre was brought in for Giuseppe Sculli. However with the advantage Inter Milan slowly began to assert itself and with pressure continuing Gian Piero Gasperini called upon the hard-working ex-Crvena Zvezda man Boško Janković for Diego Milito. The defending strategy worked and with the final piece to the puzzle coming in the form of Salvatore Bocchetti for Marco Rossi with seven minutes remaining the Rossoblu's heavy work-rate and tenacity paid off as they held Inter Milan at bay for a nil draw.

Genoa returns to Serie A action this Wednesday welcoming our friends Cagliari from beautiful Sardinia.

Genoa
Rubinho
Matteo Ferrari, Giuseppe Biava,Sokratis Papastrathopoulos
Domenico Criscito,Ivan Jurić,Thiago Motta,Giandomenico Mesto
Giuseppe Sculli (Anthony Vanden Borre 64'),Diego Milito (Boško Janković 78'),Marco Rossi (Salvatore Bocchetti 83')

Inter Milan
Júlio César,Nicolas Burdisso,Ivan Cordoba,Cristian Chivu,Maicon,Dejan Stanković,Sulley Muntar (Julio Cruz 55'),Javier Zanetti,Adriano (Mario Balotelli 45'),Zlatan Ibrahimović,Ricardo Quaresma (Victor Nsofor Obinna 45')

Genoa - Sienna match preview

Marco Giampaolo's Bianconeri visit Stadio Luigi Ferraris in a important mid-table match. With the clubs locked only a point a part in the tight Serie A race, hopes of European bids rely on victories such as these. Truthfully both clubs are in suffering from a common issue of mid-table squads, whereby level of play is radically different than at home as opposed to the road. Genoa has won each of its three matches at home, scoring an impressive eight goals in three matches. However on the road their goal scoring prowess has disappeared as they found the net once, losing all three away matches. Sienna's not quite the same "Jekyll and Hyde" level, although they have yet to allow a goal at home as opposed to four on the road.

Sienna is coming off a 1-0 victory over Roma just before the international break and buoyed with confidence on their tactically efficient play. Marco Giampaolo will certainly be aware of Genoa's flowing tactical lines at home and look to cut that off sharply. Their efforts will be greatly assisted as the Rossoblu are without Francesco Modesto, Matteo Paro and Thiago Motta as well as Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Marco Rossi to suspension. The continued growth of Serbia international, ex-Crvena Zvezda man, Boško Janković will likely see him penciled into the following starting grid:

Rubinho
Giuseppe Biava, Matteo Ferrari, Domenico Criscito
Giandomenico Mesto, Omar Milanetto, Ivan Jurić, Giuseppe Sculli
Boško Janković, Diego Milito, Raffaele Palladino

Sienna is likely to employ a 4-3-1-2 with Moroccan Houssine Kharja supporting the striking tandem of Mario Frick and predator / striker Massimo Maccarone. Genoa's back-line defense will need to keep a keen eye towards Massimo or he will quickly change Sienna's away-match fortunes. One of the great stories of the early Serie A season is unquestionably Diego Milito, who will look to continue his goal scoring prowess from where he left off at the break.