Catania Football - Catania News, Scores, Stats, Rumors & More

Catania

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Catania 1-4 Cesena: Second-half beating

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ESPN staff

Catania

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Catania facing relegation and points deduction

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Ben Gladwell

Catania

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Catania for sale amid match-fixing case

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Ben Gladwell

Pulvirenti 'should be banned forever' - Ferrero

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Selene Scarsi

Catania

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Catania president admits buying results

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Ben Gladwell

Catania

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Match-fixing investigation riles Tavecchio

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Ben Gladwell

Catania

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Catania president in match-fixing arrest

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Ben Gladwell

Catania

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Roma sell Borriello to Genoa, acquire Spolli

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Genoa sign Tachtsidis, offload Lodi

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PA Sport

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Catania 2-1 Atalanta

Catania left Serie A with some pride after clinching a 2-1 win over Atalanta on the final day of the season.The Sicilians took the lead through Francesco Lodi in the 65th minute, but Moussa Kone brought Atalanta level.A late penalty from Gonzalo Bergessio enabled Catania to take all three points and move to just a point behind Chievo, yet it was not enough to keep them in the top flight.With Catania already relegated and Atalanta no longer able to challenge for a place in Europe, the game was something of a dead rubber at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.There was no impression either that the Sicilians wanted to leave the top flight on a high as both sides just cancelled each other out in the first half - thoughts had clearly already turned to the summer holidays.The game came to life more in the second half with Atalanta starting to show more attacking intent, German Denis getting in a few good chances.That brought a response out of Catania, who went close through Bergessio before their goalkeeper Alberto Frison denied Yohan Benalouane at the other end.Finally, the fans inside the Massimino were starting to enjoy themselves, especially in the 65th minute when Lodi exchanged passes with Bergessio before beating Atalanta's rookie goalkeeper Marco Sportiello, in for Andrea Consigli after he had an operation on his eye on Friday.Francesco Fedato went close to making it two when he hit the post midway through the second half before Bergessio was denied by a fine save from Sportiello.Catania were starting to dominate, but it was Atalanta who struck next with Denis' 25-yard effort tipped onto the crossbar by Frison, who was unfortunate to see the ball rebound for Kone to slot in.Bergessio missed another chance to put Catania back in front, but he was given one final chance to score his last goal in Serie A, at least this season, when a handball in the area saw Catania awarded a penalty.Bergessio was not going to waste his third big chance of the game as he finally got the better of Sportiello to earn Catania one final win before they slipped into Serie B.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Bologna 1-2 Catania

Gonzalo Bergessio's late winner was not enough to keep Catania in Serie A as results elsewhere relegated both the Sicilians and Bologna on Sunday afternoon.Catania arrived at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara knowing victory over their hosts would steer them towards safety - as long as Chievo and Sassuolo both failed to win.Luciano Monzon's first-half opener was cancelled out by Bologna's Archimede Morleo with 10 minutes remaining, but Catania thought they had finally done enough to survive when Bergessio scored at the death to settle a 2-1 win.And they would have taken their fight to the last day had Chievo not triumphed 1-0 at Cagliari while Sassuolo were clinching a thrilling 4-2 success against Genoa to secure their own future in the top flight. Last week's shock 4-1 win over Roma had brought Catania to within two points of safety, and their focus turned to dragging 17th-placed Bologna into the soup with victory at the Dall'Ara.Yet it was the Rossoblu who started the game in more determined fashion, with Lazaros Christodoulopoulos and Rolando Bianchi both going dangerously close to scoring in the first 10 minutes.Panagiotis Kone then set an unmarked Bianchi up for an easy finish, which the former Manchester City man could not tuck away.In the 22nd minute, Catania took the lead.Monzon lined up a free-kick and, although he looked ready to pick out the top corner, his daisy-cutter fooled Gianluca Curci and nestled in the bottom of the net.So far so good for Catania, but Gino Peruzzi contrived to diluted their prospects of clinging onto the advantage by earning two yellow cards in quick succession just before the half-hour mark.Bologna pushed back and Alberto Frison did well to smother Rene Krhin's bullet header from a free-kick.Jonathan Cristaldo tried his luck with a firm drive before, in the 43rd minute, Christodoulopoulos fell over his own feet when all alone in front of the Catania goal.Both sides went close to notching when play resumed, Bergessio whipping the ball just wide of the Bologna goal before Frison looked alive to repel Bianchi's attempt from close range.Then, on the hour mark, Bianchi spurned a golden opportunity to level by shooting straight down Frison's throat from two yards out.Catania had been fired enough warnings to realise they needed a second goal and they should have scored in the 73rd minute when Lucas Castro blasted wide of an unguarded goalmouth. They were punished for wasting the chance as Morleo soon rifled home a late leveller.But Catania could feel top-flight football slipping out of their hands and refused to lie down and accept their fate.Six minutes from time, Bergessio drifted inside before shaping his body to beat Curci with a curling finish off his left boot.Catania celebrated wildly, believing their victory had kept them alive in the top flight at Bologna's expense.But news soon filtered through to both sets of supporters that Chievo and Sassuolo had both won their respective games to consign all those assembled in Bologna to relegation.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Catania 4-1 AS Roma

Relegation contenders Catania decided the final destination of the Serie A title with a 4-1 victory over Roma that confirmed Juventus as champions.Rudi Garcia's second-placed Roma travelled to Sicily eight points behind Juve and knowing only victory here would maintain their slim hopes of denying the Turin giants their third straight championship.Two first-half goals from Mariano Izco and later strikes from Gonzalo Bergessio and Pablo Barrientos sealed Roma's fate, while lifting Catania, who for the majority of their dismal campaign were rooted to the bottom of the table, to within three points of safety with two games remaining.At the age of 37, Roma captain Francesco Totti did manage to score his first ever league goal against Catania, but his club's defeat allowed Juve to celebrate before they host Atalanta on Monday night.Roma have not won at the Stadio Angelo Massimino since April 2007 and, with that added weight of expectation, the Giallorossi were clearly nervous in the opening exchanges. Alessio Romagnoli headed wildly over the bar from Totti's pinpoint cross, while Alessandro Florenzi shot straight down Alberto Frison's throat.Catania fired a loud warning shot across the bow as Bergessio stormed into the area to rattle a low drive at Morgan De Sanctis and, in the 26th minute, the Elefanti grabbed the opening goal.It was a precise left-footed finish from Izco - the Argentinian was put through by Sebastian Leto's backheel - and Roma's aspirations to Scudetto glory began to fade.Eight minutes later the dream slipped further into the ether as Izco doubled up for Catania.This time he seized on the ball from Bergessio's pass from the right before burying it beyond De Sanctis with a fierce finish.Roma needed three goals in Sicily to stay alive for another day and Totti made a timely contribution to the cause only three minutes after Izco's second was picked out of the net.Daniele De Rossi's chip over the top found Florenzi, who headed the ball towards the penalty spot and on to the end of a thunderous half-volley from veteran marksman Totti.Gervinho might even have dragged Roma back into contention on the stroke of half-time, but he was closed down by Frison before he could pull the trigger at the end of a swift counter-attack.The Ivorian lived to regret the wasted opportunity as Catania pulled further clear 10 minutes after the break.Bergessio reacted quickly when De Sanctis parried his first attempt to clip home and Roma's title challenge looked dead.It was, however, finally over 10 minutes from full-time at the Massimino as Barrientos buried the dream with a splendid twisting finish off his left boot.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Hellas Verona 4-0 Catania

Luca Toni proved he is fit for the World Cup as he inspired Hellas Verona to a 4-0 win over Catania on Sunday with his 19th and 20th goals of the season.The 36-year-old was too much for Catania to handle as he led Verona's push for a place in the Europa League next season, while he perhaps should have completed his hat-trick before taking exception to being substituted in the second half.Marquinho and Juan Gomez completed the rout against a Catania side whose relegation to Serie B could be confirmed next weekend.Verona raced in front with Juan Iturbe's shot pushed out by Alberto Frison to Toni, who was in his usual position to pounce and take his 19th goal of the season, sending yet another clear message to Italy coach Cesare Prandelli.He thought he had added a second in the 25th minute, but his volley from Emil Hallfredsson's free-kick was ruled out for offside.Only three minutes later, Toni celebrated his 20th goal of the season.Jacopo Sala's cross from the right found him unmarked six yards out, and he demonstrated that he does not miss from there.Toni should have had his hat-trick in the 43rd minute when a free-kick was deflected to him, but he scooped the ball over from close range.The Italian forward was then involved in the build-up to a goal which, on the stroke of half-time, finished Catania off.He held up the ball well before turning his defender and sending Gomez down the right.Gomez switched play to the left where Marquinho controlled before sending his shot beyond Frison with the outside of his left boot.It could have been worse in stoppage time when Vangelis Moras' header was pushed onto the post by Frison.There was little let up in the second half as the rain grew in intensity, and so too did Verona with Marquinho pulling a shot just wide of the far post on the hour mark.Sala was the provider once again 15 minutes later, playing the ball into the path of Gomez who got his name on the scoresheet with a shot into the bottom left-hand corner.Verona coach Andrea Mandorlini then decided it was time to give Toni a standing ovation, although the former Fiorentina and Bayern Munich forward could have done without it.He made a frustrated gesture towards the bench and traipsed off unhappy to be deprived the chance of completing his hat-trick, but having already done more than enough to tempt Prandelli into considering him for a second World Cup.His previous call came in 2006 after he netted 21 goals for Fiorentina, just one more than he has now managed this season for Verona.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Catania 2-1 Sampdoria

Bottom-side Catania gave their faint hopes of avoiding relegation a boost by condemning Sampdoria to their third straight defeat in Sicily on Saturday.The home fans sensed it was going to be their side's day when Sebastian Leto put them ahead on the stroke of half-time.Sampdoria's Stefano Okaka levelled shortly after the hour mark only for Catania to go back in front two minutes later thanks to Gonzalo Bergessio's goal.Catania held on for their fifth win of the campaign and halted a six-match losing streak in the process.The victory has lifted the Sicilians five points adrift of Bologna, who occupy the last position of safety.Bologna take on Serie A leaders Juventus later on Saturday.Samp have won just one of their lpst six league games and have dropped to 12th place.Catania coach Maurizio Pellegrino, who took over the reins of the struggling outfit earlier this month, had urged his troops to give their all in their remaining five games.The hosts had the first chance midway through the first half when Bergessio's header from Francesco Lodi's cross was saved by Samp goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo.Fiorillo was called again to make a save shortly after to deny Pablo Barrientos' 12-yard attempt.The visitors finally put a good move together in the 44th minute.Gianluca Sansone fed Birkir Bjarnason in the box and his right- footed shot was kept out by Catania goalkeeper Alberto Frison.Catania broke the deadlock moments later when Gino Peruzzi set up Leto in the area and the forward struck the ball past Fiorillo to give his side a 1-0 half-time lead.Samp showed more determination after the re-start and their efforts paid off in the 61st minute when Okaka surged in the Catania area and drilled a right-footed shot past Frison for the equaliser.Samp's joy was shortlived as the hosts hit back moments later.Bergessio latched onto a superb assist from Barrientos to slot the ball into the bottom-left corner and put his team back in command.Renan curled a 25-yard attempt just wide one minute from time as Catania held on for a vital win.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Montolivo earns victory

#INSERT type:image caption:Riccardo Montolivo is mobbed after scoring the winning goal. END# Riccardo Montolivo fired AC Milan back into the top half of the Serie A table and into the race for Europe as they recorded a 1-0 victory over 10-man Catania. The 18-time Italian champions have spent most of the season in the doldrums but four-straight wins have now seen Clarence Seedorf's men close to within five points of city rivals Inter Milan and the final Europa League berth. While bottom side Catania dominated much of the encounter at San Siro - Montolivo's screamer on 23 minutes was the only attempt of many that found the net - the doomed Sicilians finally lost heart after Fabian Rinaudo saw red. Milan coach Seedorf has based his team's recent revival around the on-field connection between Adel Taarabt and Mario Balotelli and within six minutes the duo had combined to test visiting goalkeeper Mariano Andujar. The Sicilians soon enjoyed a better chance, however, Pablo Barrientos' fierce left-footed drive forcing Christian Abbiati into a desperate save that won a corner. The Milan keeper then dropped to block a rasping effort from Francesco Lodi before the hosts pushed back. Taarabt skipped past various challenging Catania defenders before sending Kaka through down the left, but the Brazilian could not pick out a team-mate with his cross. A golden opportunity followed. Kaka's free-kick found Adil Rami all alone in front of goal but the France defender somehow clipped his finish over the bar. It would not matter, as Milan found the opening goal in the 23rd minute. There was no intricate play around the box on this occasion as Montolivo decided to surprise Andujar from 30 metres with what appeared to be a sudden snapshot. Sebastian Leto might have levelled before the break but Abbiati blocked his stab at a rebounding ball and, with half-time fast approaching, Andujar made himself big to deny Balotelli from close range. Milan emerged from the interval slightly subdued and were given a wake-up call when Nicolas Spolli threatened to clip home from a swerving Lodi free-kick before the hour mark. Gonzalo Bergessio was closed down and shepherded out of shooting range by Kevin Constant after getting the better of Philippe Mexes. In the 67th minute Bergessio came close to scoring a calamitous own goal. His sliced clearance from a corner did beat the baffled Andujar, but looped over the bar. Still the initiative remained with Catania and Abbiati had to deny the onrushing Castro with his head before flinging himself across the goal-line to repel another rocket from Lodi. The dismissal of Rinaudo took the wind out of Catania's sails. A foul against Mexes earned the Argentinian midfielder a second yellow card and his marching orders in the 80th minute and, while the Sicilians remonstrated with the referee, Milan went looking for the elusive second goal. All they could muster was a rasping drive from Balotelli, which veered just over on the stroke of full-time, but the Rossoneri had done enough to close to resurrect their quest for European football. ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Catania sack Rolando Maran twice in one season

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PA Sport

Catania

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Catania 1-2 Torino

Torino scored twice in the final 11 minutes to clinch a 2-1 come-from-behind win over bottom side Catania on Sunday.Gonzalo Bergessio put the hosts ahead after only two minutes of play at the Stadio Angelo Massimino but substitute Alexander Farnerud drew Torino level in the 79th minute before Ciro Immobile netted a late winner.The result in Sicily lifts the Granata to 10th place in the Serie A table while ending their three-game losing streak on the road.Catania, meanwhile, suffered their fifth straight loss and are now seven points adrift of safety with only six games remaining.The home side went in front when Pablo Barrientos fed Bergessio in the box and his right-footed shot from 15 yards beat Torino goalkeeper Daniele Padelli.Il Toro put a good move together in the 25th minute and almost equalised.The club's top scorer Immobile, returning from suspension, got behind Alessio Cerci's cross but his powerful header went just wide of the far post.Catania should have doubled their lead before half-time but Bergessio put the ball wide from close range.Torino showed a vast improvement after the restart and almost pulled level in the 57th minute.Catania goalkeeper Mariano Andujar managed to clear Kamil Glik's goal-bound attempt from close range with his foot.Il Toro's efforts were finally rewarded when Omar El Kaddouri set up Farnerud in the box and his left-footed strike beat Andujar.The goal spurred the visitors on to greater things and they punished Catania again in the 83rd minute.Riccardo Meggiorini headed a cross into Immobile's path and the Italy striker fired the ball from the middle of the area towards the far left corner and out of Andujar's reach.The hosts did get a chance to salvage a point one minute from time, but Mariano Izco's header from Francesco Lodi's cross was kept out by Padelli.ends

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PA Sport

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Udinese 1-0 Catania

Udinese plunged Catania deeper into relegation danger with a 1-0 win at the Stadio Friuli on Monday evening.Antonio Di Natale scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half but the hosts had goalkeeper Simone Scuffet to thank for preserving the points.The win takes Udinese onto 38 points, which should be enough to secure their place in Serie A again next season, but Catania remain rooted to the foot of the table, more than two wins away from safety and with only seven games remaining.Scuffet's stock has been rising this season with some calls for the 17-year-old to be considered for the Italy squad at the World Cup.He underlined precisely why he has been keeping the experienced Zeljko Brkic on the bench with a fine save to deny Jaroslav Plasil in the 10th minute.He made another good save to deny Plasil again five minutes later, although he had Allan to thank for clearing Gonzalo Bergessio's subsequent shot off the line.Di Natale missed Udinese's first chance of the game in the 38th minute when his usual composure in front of goal eluded him with only Mariano Andujar to beat.Minutes later, Nico Lopez missed the target from a promising position as Catania gave as good as they got.Francesco Lodi was next to bring an excellent save out of Scuffet before Udinese took the lead in the 68th minute.Di Natale made no mistake with a diving header from close range, meeting Roberto Pereyra's volleyed cross to perfection.Having taken the lead, Udinese opted to preserve it, succeeding thanks in a big way to Scuffet, who punched Fabian Monzon's distance shot away before denying Lodi.The young goalkeeper then turned Bergessio's shot over the crossbar before denying Pablo Barrientos with the last chance of the game.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Catania 2-4 Napoli

Napoli resisted a valiant fightback from doomed Catania to ride out a 4-2 victory at the Stadio Angelo Massimino.First-half goals from Duvan Zapata, Jose Callejon and Henrique made the final outcome look like a foregone conclusion but bottom side Catania hit back through Fabian Monzon and Norbert Gyomber.The Azzurri sensibly decided to shut the game down and successfully put three more points on the board in their bid to catch second-placed Roma, who are now only six points better off in Serie A.Catania remain bottom of the pile and look set to return to the second tier after eight years away.The Sicilian basement boys were never likely to worry Champions League-chasing Napoli but that option was ruthlessly taken from them by force.It appeared Mariano Andujar might have a good night in the home goal when he denied Lorenzo Insigne from close range after two minutes.He soon punched Blerim Dzemaili's fiercely-struck free-kick clear before watching calmly as Insigne screwed a shot high over the bar.But in the 16th minute, Napoli plundered their first goal and never really looked back.After Marek Hamsik freed Callejon in the final third, the Spaniard drove a low ball into the D and Zapata pinged it home with his left boot.Catania would hit the crossbar through Pablo Barrientos before conceding again in the 25th minute.This time Andujar's path to gathering the ball was blocked by defender Nicola Legrottaglie and Callejon gratefully took Insigne's pass and found the empty net.Callejon missed a chance to make it 3-0 shortly after the half-hour when looking for the top corner with a sighter, but it would not matter.January signing Henrique opened his Serie A account for Napoli with an extraordinary strike that completely bamboozled Andujar.The invigorated Partenopei fancied a fourth goal before the break and found it through Zapata, who thought he had ended the game as a contest with a right-footed daisy-cutter.But no one told Catania they had already lost the game during the half-time interval, though, and they promptly pulled a goal back seven minutes after the restart.Keko had just rattled Jose Reina with a snapshot and Monzon capitalised on the goalkeeper's lapse in concentration to beat him with a speculative effort off his left boot.At this point Napoli, perhaps exhausted from their first-half exertions, hit the snooze button.As a result, in the 75th minute Catania managed to halve the deficit against all odds as Slovakian defender Gyomber nodded home from an inswinging corner.Coach Rafael Benitez yelled at his players to wake up and batten down the hatches and they did so, Francesco Lodi's searing drive representing Catania's last solid chance to get back into the tie.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

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Tevez tames 10-man Catania

#INSERT type:video END# Juventus ground out a bad-tempered 1-0 victory over 10-man Catania to pull 14 points clear at the top of the Serie A table on Sunday night. The reigning champions and likely winners of a third-straight Scudetto have struggled to put lesser opposition to bed in recent weeks and were uninspired when beating the league's bottom side. Carlos Tevez did send three more points back to Turin with a typically fierce effort in the 59th minute and the chase was beyond Catania once striker Gonzalo Bergessio picked up a second yellow card. It was an ugly and attritional first half at the Stadio Angelo Massimino. Neither side reached half-time with their coach on the touchline as tempers flared and constant fouls distracted from the few glimpses of quality football. Arturo Vidal clipped home within two minutes but the goal was ruled out thanks to a foul from Juve defender Leonardo Bonucci. Hush descended when Andrea Pirlo prepared to take a free-kick in a dangerous position -- the veteran playmaker has won Juve's last two games by a single goal from the dead-ball situation. He whipped the ball over the crossbar, though, and Dani Osvaldo soon drove a left-footed effort just past a post. Bergessio and Bonucci came to blows before the half-hour mark and, after the Catania striker escaped without a booking, coaches Antonio Conte and Rolando Maran protested furiously on the sidelines. They were sent to the stands and Bergessio nearly had the last laugh when coming close to beating Marco Storari following a mix-up in the Juve box. Another mix-up saw the Bianconeri waste a perfectly good chance to open the scoring before the break. Pirlo sent Osvaldo through on goal in the 34th minute but, thinking he had somehow been caught offside, the striker passed the ball out of play when the goal was at his mercy. Juve emerged after half-time full of attacking intent and soon went about taking control of the game. Stephan Lichtsteiner's high ball forward met Osvaldo, who slammed it wide on the volley, but the striker came closer to scoring when snaffling another pass from the Swiss. The Southampton loanee was involved as Juve broke the deadlock in the 59th minute, his header across the box to Tevez turning into a searing shot that left Mariano Andujar flapping at thin air. As Catania toiled unsuccessfully to find the equaliser, the tension became too much for the combative Bergessio to bear and he walked in the 67th minute after clashing with Giorgio Chiellini. Pirlo once again took aim with a free-kick and this time he found Andujar, who slapped the ball out for a corner. Juve were in charge but knew they really needed a second goal to kill the game off. It would not come from Vidal, who wasted Tevez's pass from the right, nor would the Argentinian striker put sorry Catania down when taking aim with his left boot at the end.

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PA Sport

Catania

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Sassuolo 3-1 Catania

Sassuolo came from behind to strike Catania with a critical blow in the battle to avoid relegation from Serie A.The Neroverde were bottom of the table and without a win in eight attempts heading into Sunday's basement bout at the Stadio Citta del Tricolore but a 3-1 victory over Catania saw them leapfrog the Sicilians and take 19th place.Gonzalo Bergessio gave the visitors the lead before half-time but Simone Zaza and Simone Missiroli turned the game on its head before Nicola Sansone put the result beyond doubt at the death.Sassuolo are now just three points behind 17th-placed Livorno - who left the relegation zone with a 2-1 victory over Bologna - while Catania prop up the standings with only 20 points.Sassuolo surged forward from the first whistle, but Francesco Magnanelli's cross to Antonio Floro Flores at the far post ended up in the crowd.The Sicilians responded brightly and would have snatched the lead inside three minutes had Keko found the back of the net with goalkeeper Gianluca Pegolo beaten.Sansone and Matteo Brighi forced solid saves from Catania keeper Mariano Andujar before, on the half-hour mark, Bergessio made the breakthrough.The Argentinian striker burst through the offside trap to arrow an angled drive past the stranded Pegolo.Sassuolo put their heads together over the break and blitzed their opponents when play resumed, Lorenzo Ariaudo just missing with a header before Zaza found the equaliser.There were 56 minutes on the clock when Ariaudo launched Floro Flores down the wing and the Spaniard crossed for Zaza to steer the ball home.Sassuolo saw an opportunity to hit Catania while they were down and seized on it, Missiroli giving Andujar no quarter with a powerful header that turned the tables in Reggio Emilia.The third might have arrived when Floro Flores whipped in a fierce free-kick in the 67th minute, but this time Andujar punched the ball out for a corner.The scoreline was a dangerous one and, while Sassuolo were dominating, they knew they needed another goal to finish the game off.It would not come when Zaza sent Sansone through on goal in the 83rd minute, as Andujar made the save, but one minute from time the latter striker gave Catania's keeper no chance with a fierce finish from the edge of the box.ends

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Catania

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Catania 1-1 Cagliari

Catania's late surge was not enough to snatch victory over Cagliari as they remained inside the Serie A relegation places following a 1-1 draw.The Sicilians fell behind to Matias Vecino's 53rd-minute strike, but were unlucky not to take all three points once Gonzalo Bergessio headed in a Francesco Lodi free-kick soon after.Catania built up a head of steam as Danilo Avelar was red-carded on 73 minutes, but Alexis Rolin's header against the crossbar was as close as they came to a win that would have lifted them out of the bottom three.Cagliari created the majority of the chances in a goalless first half.Marco Sau beat the offside trap after four minutes, with Catania goalkeeper Mariano Andujar making the save.Davide Astori headed a Daniele Conti free-kick over and while the Sardinians started well, they were lucky not to go one down after 26 minutes when Lodi missed with his head from close range.The on-loan Genoa midfiedler, back at Catania for a second spell, ran onto Gino Peruzzi's right-wing cross and should have scored.Lodi would end up playing a vital role from the set-piece, and served notice shortly after as he fizzed a free-kick that Vlada Avramov clawed out of the top-right corner.Cagliari ended the half strongest as Sau's shot on the turn was inches wide before Vecino saw a shot blocked close to the line by Nicolas Spolli.Avramov had to make one last save before the whistle after a goalmouth scramble that saw him deny Pablo Barrientos after Sergio Keko's effort was blocked by Davide Astori.Cagliari took the lead eight minutes after half-time when Sau passed for Vecino to score after a quick turn and shot.Catania took 10 minutes to hit back, with Lodi's wicked free-kick touched in by Bergessio to signal the start of the hosts' dominance.Avramov punched away a Gino Peruzzi cross-shot before Avelar was given his second caution for pulling at Sebastian Leto's shirt.Catania pushed on and Leto shot wide of the left post before Rolin had the best chance, heading against the frame of the goal, after another pin-point Lodi free-kick.ends

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PA Sport

Catania

SOCCER

Genoa 2-0 Catania

Genoa left Catania in serious relegation danger after winning 2-0 at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Sunday.Luca Antonelli gave the Genovese side the lead in the 14th minute, and after Giuseppe Bellusci was sent off shortly before the break, there was only going to be one winner.Genoa had to wait until five minutes from time before sealing victory, though, with 20-year-old Stefano Sturaro's first strike in Serie A settling their nerves and ending Catania's hopes.Genoa pressed straight away in search of a win which should put any lingering relegation hopes to bed.It took them 14 minutes to open the scoring, with Antonelli getting a lucky break off a Catania defender to shoot against Mariano Andujar before a second stroke of fortune came from his own team-mate Alberto Gilardino with the rebound falling kindly for him to sweep in at the far post.The hosts warranted their lead and went close to increasing it with Pape Konate's piledriver which just missed the target, much to Andujar's relief.Bellusci picked up a yellow card and almost talked himself into a second as he refused to watch as the referee extracted the card.It was not long before he got to see both colours of card in the referee's top pocket as a foul on Marco Motta earned him an early bath in the 39th minute, reducing Catania to 10 men and further reducing their hopes of recovering.They could count themselves lucky not to be further behind at the break too when Gilardino slid in to meet Motta's cross two minutes before half-time, but he was unable to increase Genoa's advantage going into the break.A free-kick from Ioannis Fetfatzidis was pushed away by Andujar as Genoa continued to look for the comfort of a second goal, not relying on their one-goal lead, even against 10 men.They almost got it in the 80th minute when Gilardino failed in a one-on-one with Andujar, but it finally arrived five minutes later when Sturaro beat Andujar with a shot from just outside the area - his first goal in Serie A.It settled Genoa's nerves and was enough to seal all three points for Gian Piero Gasperini's men.ends

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Catania

SOCCER

Chievo Verona 2-0 Catania

Chievo halted a 10-match winless run with a 2-0 triumph over Catania on Sunday afternoon.Cyril Thereau converted from the penalty spot in the 37th minute to put the hosts on their way.Luca Rigoni secured all three points by scoring his team's second in the 68th minute.Chievo tasted victory for the first time since December 8 while Catania had their four-match unbeaten run came to an end.The visitors had the first chance of the game in the 10th minute when Mariano Izco's bullet strike from 30 yards was kept out by Catania goalkeeper Mariano Andujar.Catania should have gone in front midway through the first half but Gonzalo Bergessio's header from Keko's cross went just wide of the far post.Chievo almost broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when Thereau fed Tiberio Guarente in the penalty area but his right-footed shot was kept out by Andujar.The hosts were handed a golden opportunity shortly after when the referee awarded a penalty following Pablo Alvarez's handball in the area.Thereau stepped up to take the spot-kick and struck the ball towards the bottom right corner of the goal and out of Andujar's reach.Catania almost pulled level four minutes into the second half but Alvarez's close-range header from Francesco Lodi's free-kick was kept out by Chievo goalkeeper Michael Agazzi.Despite Catania's attempts, it was Chievo that scored again.Rigoni got behind Guarente's cross and his powerful header beat Andujar.Catania never gave up and in the 81st minute Agazzi was forced to fully stretch to clear Lodi's stinging drive from 30 yards.The win lifted Chievo to 16th place, one point clear of the relegation zone.Catania, meanwhile, dropped to 19th position, two points adrift of safety.ends

8Y
PA Sport

Catania

SOCCER

Catania 3-1 Lazio

Lazio suffered their first defeat in six games and their first under coach Edy Reja as they went down to a surprise 3-1 defeat against Catania. The relegation-threatened Sicilian outfit ended a run of three straight draws to ease the pressure on coach Rolando Maran. The defeat also dealt a blow to the European qualification hopes of Reja's side. Mariano Izco opened the scoring for the home side after just one minute, but Stefano Mauri drew the Roman club level on the stroke of half-time. Further goals from Nicolas Spolli and Gino Peruzzi ensured the home side claimed all three points. Catania shocked their higher-placed visitors early on when Lucas Castro crossed from the right and Izco fired the ball into the top right corner. Catania nearly extended their lead when as shot from Pablo Barrientos forced Etrit Berisha into a fine save. Lazio's Lucas Biglia shot just wide of the Catania goal before the home side's Gonzalo Bergessio forced Berisha into another save before Lucas Castro's right foot shot was just off target. Lazio's Antonio Candreva fired wide before Catania's Spolli headed wide from a Francesco Lodi cross. Lazio drew level in first half injury time when Mauri headed into the top corner of the goal from a cross by Abdoulay Konko. But Catania were back in front three minutes into the second half when a free-kick from Lodi was met by a diving header from Spolli which found the net from close range. Five minutes later Catania wrapped up the win when Peruzzi played a one-two with Keko before scoring the home side's third goal from close range. Berisha then denied Bergessio twice, the second chance coming after good work by Peruzzi. Christian Ledesma crossed for Miroslav Klose, who headed just wide as Lazio tried to get back into the game. Berisha easily kept out an shot on the turn from Bergessio before a late effort from Candreva brought a save out of Catania goalkeeper Mariano Andujar. ends

8Y
PA Sport

Catania

Fixtures

Catania 1-4 Cesena: Second-half beating

Catania facing relegation and points deduction

Catania for sale amid match-fixing case

Pulvirenti 'should be banned forever' - Ferrero

Catania president admits buying results

Match-fixing investigation riles Tavecchio

Catania president in match-fixing arrest

Roma sell Borriello to Genoa, acquire Spolli

Genoa sign Tachtsidis, offload Lodi

Catania 2-1 Atalanta

Bologna 1-2 Catania

Catania 4-1 AS Roma

Hellas Verona 4-0 Catania

Catania 2-1 Sampdoria

Montolivo earns victory

Catania sack Rolando Maran twice in one season

Catania 1-2 Torino

Udinese 1-0 Catania

Catania 2-4 Napoli

Tevez tames 10-man Catania

Sassuolo 3-1 Catania

Catania 1-1 Cagliari

Genoa 2-0 Catania

Chievo Verona 2-0 Catania

Catania 3-1 Lazio