Serie B, Genoa-Palermo 2-0: goals from Gudmundsson and Jagiello

He had to win again, he did. Genoa beat Palermo 2-0 in Serie B thanks to goals from Gudmundsson and Jagiello and consolidate, waiting for Reggina – engaged tomorrow against Pisa – the 2nd place in the standings. In reality, a match fought until the 97th minute, uncorked by a flash from the player with the most technique on the pitch and closed with glacial coldness. Palermo returns to lose after nine consecutive useful results and remains in the play-off area waiting for the competitors.

The choices

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After the defeat in Parma (before his management), the Genoa coach Alberto Gilardino finds Bani but has to do without the injured Vogliacco and Criscito, and chooses to return to a 4-3-3 formation, initially giving up Strootman as well. So Sabelli adapted on the left with Hefti on the right, return from 1′ for Sturaro (he hadn’t played as a starter since last April 30) and the pairing Aramu-Gudmundsson behind Coda. On the other hand, a chameleon-like 3-5-2 for Eugenio Corini’s Palermo: Pigliacelli between the posts, the newcomer Verre in the first starting position between the midfield lines and Di Mariano in support of Brunori, best striker in Serie B in this 2023 with four centers since the beginning of the year.

The match

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Very first minutes of study, then off to the real game. The guests become more dangerous at the start, who scare the Grifone between the 7th and 8th minute of the game: first it is Sabelli who makes the rossoblù fans shiver with a very dangerous back pass that Martinez deflects for a corner, then Marconi, of head, only captures the outside of the net. Palermo’s aggressiveness shakes Genoa, who 10′ later go within a handful of centimeters of the lead: Gudmundsson sprint and pocketed by Sabelli who reaches the back and puts in a tense cross on which the intervention almost on the Sala line is providential . Charged by the goal ball, the Griffon tries again with Hefti, a wide shot attempt by Aramu and again with Gudmundsson, who unlocks the score in the 25th minute: invitation from Aramu, insertion of the Icelandic player and billiard shot on the far post that kisses the wood and bagged. The match heats up and Palermo goes in search of the right episode: in the 35th minute a Dragusin-Bani mess in the Genoa area serves Verre the ball evenly, but the ex Sampdoria’s attempt is blocked. Shortly after, it was the rosanero central Nedelcearu who stood out without finding the goal and the first half thus ended with the rossoblùs in the lead.

Rosanero never tame

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The start of the second half was immediately sparkling: just over a minute passed and Genoa doubled again through Gudmundsson, but an offside by Coda – who had sent his teammate on goal – thwarted the Icelandic’s brace. In the 54th minute the game was stopped for a couple of minutes: the Palermo bench called Marinelli’s attention due to the illness of a visiting fan. Alarm cleared and race back to the start. The rhythm flattens out, the two coaches go in search of a breakthrough with a couple of substitutions on each side and restore vigor to the game: entered from 3′, the rosanero striker Soleri finds himself on the right with only one ball to push on goal but an intervention monstrous by Martinez cancels the draw. A minute later, in the 78th minute, Gudmundsson invents a splendid trajectory that only the crossbar spits out of Pigliacelli’s goal. The rosanero are back in charge, the Grifone blocks but 7′ added time still gives hope to the guests who throw themselves in a desperate search for an equaliser. In the 97th minute, however, the rossoblù doubled goal: Palermo unbalanced, Puscas collected and launched Jagiello at the far post who looked at Pigliacelli, opened the big plate and closed the match. Grifone in the direct promotion area, Palermo defeated among regrets.