Catania Open 2009 With Loss

By: Chris | January 12th, 2009

Napoli-Catania

Gli Elefanti had an inauspicious start to the new year, falling 1-0 away to Napoli. Of course, it may have been too much to ask, expecting points in a difficult stadium, against a disciplined, well-coached team with perhaps better overall talent. Still, moral victories count for little in the standings, except insofar as they influence the performance in subsequent games. Catania do not look to be in the relegation battle this year, thankfully, but their away results may also ensure that they will not contend for a spot in Europe either. I’ll take it.

The Napoli match featured close play, but with few chances. Most of the shots from either side were either from poor angles or long distances. Perhaps the best chance of the first half was interrupted by the halftime whistle, with Morimoto rushing ahead in counterattack. The referee must have either been in the Camorra payroll, or poorly acquainted with the rules of football.

Catania (once again) had Bizzarri to thank for a clean sheet in the beginning of the second half, with stellar saves on Marek Hamsik and his ridiculous hair, one coming from the penalty spot. Their luck ran out, finally, against Maggio, and the Sicilians’ drive seemed sapped by the sheer ugliness of the goal. Still, Napoli had the better of the second half, and so the result was well-earned.

Catania have little time to stew over this one, however, with Juve on the horizon in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday. The only hope for a result resides in Juventus not caring enough about the Coppa to show up.