A 90th minute goal from Igor Budan saved Palermo's blushes as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bari at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.....
Sep 13, 2009 4:25:00 PM
Miccoli, Kjaer & Cavani - Palermo (Grazia Neri)
Palermo started in the wonted 4-3-1-2 formation with Javier Pastore playing behind strikers Edinson Cavani and Fabrizio Miccoli. Visitors Bari designed a flat 4-4-2 system with Vitali Kutozov and Riccardo Meggiorini leading the promoted side's attackline! .
The match began 20 minutes late than originally scheduled as the pitch was allowed to dry. It had become wet after shower in the morning. And when the match started, it was visitors Bari who took control of the proceedings as Riccardo Allegretti scored with a right-footed shot from a very close range as custodian Rubinho was caught in two minds and left his goal open.
Playing, though, was difficult as the pitch was still not fully dry and it was no surprise that neither side came close to scoring immediately after the second minute shock.
However, Palermo got a great chance in the 12th minute when Miccoli's shot was sensationally saved by Bari custodian Jean- Francois Gillet. Moments later summer recruit Javier Pastore had a great chance to equalise when Miccoli swerved in a perfect free-kick, but the Argentine youngster's header failed to find the target.
Gillet was called to action again just a couple of minutes later when Mic! coli once more asked questions of the Bari defence.
The nex t good chance for either side to find the net came in the 27th minute when Pastore again found himself in the thick of things but once more failed to keep his header on target. Eight minutes later the hosts had yet another chance when Miccoli's free-kick from the right found Simon Kjaer but the defender couldn't retain his cool.
By this time Bari were firmly on the backfoot and were somehow holding onto that early goal. They survived yet another Rosanero attack when Mattia Cassini's whipped in a dangerous cross but Cavani's header was too weak to trouble Gillet, who was the best player for the Galletti in the first half.
The second half started on a similar note on which the first half had ended: Palermo launching attacks after attacks and Bari staving them off one way or the other. Four minutes into the resumption, it was again Miccolo who found himself with a good chance of scoring ! but it yielded no product.
A couple of minutes later the hosts constructed yet another concrete move as Pastore and Balzaretti combined but Gillet again came to Bari's rescue once more. Pastore then fired a rocket from 20 metres but it didn't do any damage whatsoever.
It was all Palermo by this stage and they seemed pretty likely to score. But just after the 60-minute mark Bari could have doubled their lead when Allegretti sent in an inviting cross that Bari striker Meggiorini somehow managed to keep off target. Ten minutes later Palermo goalkeeper Rubinho was called into action as he had to stretch himself to cover a shot.
Bari had grown a bit more confident by this time and were trying to launch attacks of their own. But they kept themselves open at the back and Palermo did try attacking on the break on one occasion.
Palermo poured men forward in the final 10 minutes of the game as Igor Budan and Miccoli both came close to scori! ng. Eventually it would be the former who would score his side! 's equal iser in the 90th minute when assisted by a Federico Balzaretti cross he scored with his right foot from the centre of the Bari penalty box.to rescue a point for Walter Zenga's side.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/09/13/1498426/palermo-1-1-bari-late-budan-goal-rescues-the-rosanero
