Palermo 1 : 0 Chievo - Rigoni shoots down Flying Donkeys

Posted Thursday, October 30, 2014 by PA

Luca Rigoni's late goal handed Palermo a 1-0 win against his former club Chievo at Stadio Renzo Barbera.

The Italian midfielder struck nine minutes from time to hand the Sicilian outfit its second win of the Serie A season, allowing them to climb out of the relegation zone and into 15th place.

The hosts were unfortunate not to take a 66th-minute lead when Paulo Dybala's 22-yard shot found the crossbar with Chievo goalkeeper Francesco Bardi already beaten.

Chievo now have lost four straight games and two under recently appointed coach Rolando Maran.

Both teams went into the encounter in Sicily having mustered just one win from their opening eight games.

Palermo dominated possession and created the first opportunity in the seventh minute.

Dybala fed Andrea Belotti in the box and his shot from the heart of the area was kept out by Bardi.

The keeper saved Michel Morganella's 14-yard strike and shortly after, Bardi was called on again to clear Franco Vazquez's stinging drive from outside the area.

Chievo first tested Stefano Sorrentino in the 24th minute with Valter Birsa's left-footed volley from 30 yards saved by the Palermo goalkeeper.

The Rosaneri looked more dangerous and could have taken a 1-0 half-time lead but Belotti's close-range header went wide.

The home side continued to dominate posession after the restart but Chievo could have gone in front in the 52nd minute.

Riccardo Meggiorini got behind Maxi Lopez's pass and hit a powerful shot that was saved by Sorrentino.

In the 74th minute, Rigoni got his head behind Dybala's cross and his effort was kept out by Bardi.

Palermo's efforts paid off when a clearance from Chievo's defence left the ball loose on the edge of the area and Rigoni was first to it, hitting a right-footed shot past a helpless Bardi.