Catania 2 : 1 Genoa - Catania hit back to win thrilling clash

Posted Sunday, February 27, 2011 by PA

Catania came from behind to beat Genoa 2-1 in a pulsating game at the Stadio Massimino.

Antonio Floro Flores put Genoa in front in the 19th minute, but goals from Maxi Lopez and Gonzalo Bergessio early in the second half turned the game on its head.

Referee Antonio Giannoccaro then showed red cards to Domenico Criscito and Blazej Augustyn, failed to give one clear penalty and awarded another controversial one, which was missed by Genoa midfielder Miguel Veloso.

He also brandished his red card twice to the Genoa bench as tempers flared in a dramatic second half.

Giannoccaro was required to make his first big decision in the 17th minute when Floro Flores went down under the challenge of Blazej Augustyn inside the penalty area, but nothing was given.

Two minutes later, the refereeing team made their first mistake of the match by allowing Floro Flores' goal to stand.

The Genoa striker backheeled the ball to Juraj Kucka, whose shot was only parried to Floro Flores by Mariano Andujar, but he was clearly offside when he received the ball to put Genoa ahead.

Pablo Ledesma should have levelled two minutes later, but Pablo Ledesma's shot was too weak with only Eduardo to beat.

Genoa ended the half strongly with Marco Rossi's header cannoning back to him off the crossbar, but he struck the rebound straight at Andujar, who made a one-handed save.

The match was transformed in the space of five second-half minutes.

Maxi Lopez brought the home side level in the 51st minute as he dispatched the ball from close range as Genoa failed to clear a free-kick.

Bergessio then opened his account for the Sicilians with a shot which took a deflection off Criscito to wrong-foot Eduardo and enter inside his near post.

Giannoccaro made another mistake in the 67th minute by showing Criscito a red card for a foul on Francesco Lodi which he had seen to be outside the area.

The foul was actually committed inside the box and, since there was a covering defender, the dismissal for being the last man was also harsh.

A penalty and a yellow card would have been the correct choice and the Genoa bench was infuriated. Floro Flores, who had just been substituted, was shown a red card along with Genoa coach Davide Ballardini.

The next talking point came in the 75th minute when Giannoccaro sent Augustyn off for tugging Alberto Paloschi's shirt inside the area.

Miguel Veloso stepped up but saw Andujar save his penalty.

There was further drama at the other end a minute later when Lodi curled his shot against the post, but it did not prove to be a costly miss as Catania held on.