Rimini-Napoli 1-1:

Calaio punches, Jeda counter-punches; it's a penalty kick standoff.

Good outing for the azzurri, with Rimini eight points behind them, as Napoli
risk little while
bringing home their 17th consecutive positive result.

Reja partners Calaio with De Zerbi, leaving Bucchi on the bench, while Iezzo
returns to his usual
spot between the posts . Rimini starts well, and at 2' they nearly take the lead
with Jeda, who
misses the finishing touch on a cross from Ricchiuti.

Napoli answer with a constant pressing in midfield, making the game a lively
affair from the get-go.
At 7' the fast left wing Valiani, tries to turn on a shot from the edge of the
box, with an assist
by Ricchiuti, but without too much worrying on Iezzo's part . Reja's team seems
disjointed, in the
first 20 minutes, due to the intensity of Rimini's play, but at 18', the first
decisive episode of
the match occurs. From De Zerbi's corner kick, Domizzi heads the ball towards
Handanovic's goal, who
blocks the shot, but does not hold on to the ball. Maldonado is waiting to
pounce on the loose
sphere, but is visibly and obviously fouled inside the box by Porchia; Mr.
Dindarini does not
hesitate and blows the whistle, signaling towards the penalty spot. Calaio steps
up, fools the
keeper, and the Napoli striker notches his tenth goal of the season.
Napoli's goal stings the Rimini team, who seem somewhat stunned as the azzurri
take the lead.
Wanting to take advantage of the home team's confusion, at 24' De Zerbi tries to
surprise Handanovic
with a shot from 40 meters out, but which sails harmlessly away. At 33' Gatti is
forced to leave
play, due to an injury. Amodio, who would be the ideal substitute, is not
sitting on the bench, but
in the stands. Inasmuch as Montervino does not want to accept it, ultimately it
is Napoli's
ex-captain who replaces "micio". Thus the azzurri's coach is forced to place
Bogliacino in the role
of playmaker with Dalla Bona playing in the center-left position and the newly
entered Montervino on
the opposite site of the Napoli midfield.
Napoli's eleven appear happy to sit back, and "manage" the remaining minutes of
the half, staying
mostly in their own end of the pitch, their only offensive incursions via
Calaio, who is fed long
passes and creates problems for Rimini's defense with his slashing and cutting
runs.
Rimini tries to make something happen as the first half is winding down, but
their only chance comes
at 47' with a shot from Ricchiuti,
who shoots from afar, and misses.

In the second half Rimini strikes gold on their first try; at 48' Maldonado
stops a Jeda header in
the box with his arm. The ref blows the whistle, assigning the second penalty
kick of the game,
which Jeda converts at 49'. Acori's team appears galvanized by the quick
equalizer but the home side
do not have the same sparkle and intensity of the first 20' of the game and
Napoli manages to
control the game, coming close to scoring at 55', with a beautiful shot from the
edge of the box by
Dalla Bona. The "partenopei," midway into the second half, give the impression
of being able to
deliver the knockout blow, but the coach's instructions could not have been
clearer and are revealed
by the attitude of the team, who are aware of the importance of obtaining a
draw, and thus risk
little to win. At 72', Savini makes a mistake in midfield, allowing the
ex-azzurro Dario Baccin to
steal the ball, and to shoot from a good position, but the ball ends up high and
wide of goal.
Towards the end of the game Rimini's coach goes all out, trying to win, by
putting Moscardelli into
the game, while Reja tries to do the same with Roberto Carlos Sosa, especially
useful on set pieces.
The game comes to a close with Moscardelli's header at 88' and a miracle save by
Handanovic, during
added-on time, on a mad scramble in the box,
resulting from a free kick taken from the left side of the Rimini box.

Translated by Antonello Toscano

RIMINI-NAPOLI 1-1 (0-1)

RIMINI (4-2-3-1): Handanovic; Vitiello, Porchia, Peccarisi, Regonesi; Cardinale,
Cascione; Baccin (36� s.t. Pagano), Ricchiuti (42� s.t. Bischeri), Valiani;
Jeda (25� s.t. Moscardelli). (Pugliesi, Bravo, Tasso, Matri). All. Acori.

NAPOLI (3-5-2): Iezzo; Cannavaro, Maldonado, Domizzi; Grava, Dalla Bona, Gatti
(33� p.t. Montervino), Bogliaccino, Savini; De Zerbi (28� s.t. Sosa),
Calai� (43� s.t.Trotta). (Gianello, Garics, Giubilato, Bucchi). All. Reja.

ARBITRO: Dondarini di Finale Emilia.

MARCATORI: Calai� (N) su rigore al 20� p.t.; Jeda (R) su rigore al 4� s.t.

AMMONITI: Domizzi, Maldonado, Cannavaro, Cascione, Bogliacino, Valiani, Gatti.

NOTE: spettatori 9500.






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